The Adventures of Albus Potter
by the book fanatic
Summary: The last Harry Potter book left us hanging at Albus Potter's departure on the Hogwarts Express with the final words "all is well." Or is it? The Dark Lord may have died, but his ideas have been quietly growing. So the adventures of Albus Potter begin!
1. Off to Hogwarts

***Note from the author:** I started this project quite a long time ago and regrettably left it unfinished. Well, I don't enjoy leaving my work unfinished, so (dramatic pause) I'M BACK! Even though I've totally forgotten what I had planned for this plot, I'm going to take up the challenge and create a new one. However, I'm going to edit a bit of my story: fix spelling errors, grammar, adding a bit in, etc. however, I'll leave my story line untouched for the sake of whatever my original story was. Much thanks and enjoy!

- The Book Fanatic

**Disclaimer: No, i do not own The Harry Potter series, that belongs to J.K. Rowling. I only own the characters I made up.**

_The last story takes off at the last chapter of the 7th Harry potter book, where we are left with are new characters Albus, Rose, and James on the Hogwarts Express._

**The Adventures of Albus Potter**

**Off to Hogwarts**

**Chapter I**

Albus gave a great long sigh when he couldn't see his fathers hand raised in farewell to him any more. He shut the compartment window and sat down next to Rose who was vivaciously talking about all the books she read about Hogwarts. Albus wasn't really listening though. He could only concentrate on what his father had told him.

Would the sorting hat really take his choice into consideration? What if it didn't, and he was put into Slytherin? What would his parents say? What would James and Lily say?

Rose realized that he wasn't listening to her ramblings about Hogwarts History.

"The hat's not going to sort you into Slytherin, Al," Rose whispered confidently, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Al, you know that you don't fit any description of a Slythrin. So, don't worry about the hat. Besides, it's not like the world would end if you were," Rose said trying to make her voice sound as calm as possible. She knew Al was one of the bravest and most kind of her cousins, but he kept most of his thoughts to himself and could be very sly at times. She was worried, but somehow she knew that her cousin wouldn't be in Slytherin... right?

Right then a boy with dusty blond hair , bright blue eyes, and freckles splattered all over his face opened the door.

"Hi, do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full," he asked timidly.

"Not at all," Albus said smiling.

"Thanks, I'm Will Locksly," he said. "I've just figured out that I was a wizard this summer," Will told them with a nervous chuckle and took a seat beside Albus.

"Wow, really? That must of been a bit of a shock! I'm Albus Potter and this is Rose Weasley. Nice to meet you," Al said.

"So, how did you find out you were a wizard?" Rose asked.

"I was climbing a tree..."

"And you fell?" Rose nodded. "Many wizards and witches find out they have the gift of magic when they fall and suddenly stop falling."

"Well yes, I did fall. But before I fell, I was sketching a robin in the tree. I bent over a little too far to get a better look and fell about four meters before I felt something clinging to my hair, which stopped me from a nasty fall," Will explained with a grimace.

"What saved you?" Al asked.

"The robin I was drawing! It was wicked! It flew right out of my sketch book, still black and white and half shaded, and it plopped me right back onto the branch I was at before and then stepped right back into my sketch book!"

"Wicked!" Al and Rose said in sync.

Since Will didn't know anything about Hogwarts, Rose and Albus told Will about the enchanted stairs, portraits that talk, the ghosts that wander through the halls, and just about every thing else. By the time they finished telling Will about Hogwarts his mouth was agape and his eyes wide with wonder.

"Al is scared that he will be sorted into Slytherin, even though he has all the characteristics of a good Gryffindor," Rose said confidently.

"Whats a Gryffindor?' Will asked, curious.

Some how they left the four houses part out.

"Well, you see there are four houses that every first year is sorted into." Rose replied in her matter-a-fact manner. "Slytherin is the worst lot of them all , Hufflepuff takes everyone, Ravenclaw is for those who are smart, and the best of them all is Gryffindor, for those who are loyal and brave," Rose continued.

"How are you sorted into them?" Will asked.

"The sorting hat of course," Al and Rose replied at the same time.

"The what?" Will asked again, not sure that he heard them correctly.

"The sorting hat," Rose replied simply."You put it on your head when your name is called and it chooses which house to place you."

"Wicked!" Will said while smiling with delight.

The door opened and an old lady with cherry red cheeks appeared pushing a trolly full of magical and enchanted candies.

"Anything off the trolly dears?" she asked sweetly revealing dimples in her smile.

"Yes, thank you," the three replied eagerly.

"Three chocolate frogs please," Al said, seeing that Will had no idea what to choose.

"Great scott! am I seeing correctly? You must be Harry Potter's son!" the trolly lady exclaimed. "Why, I remember the first time I saw him; he bought my whole lot! Great man your father, the boy who lived."

At that she closed the compartment door and left Al, Rose , and Will wondering what she meant. Al handed Will and Rose the chocolate frogs and opened his own, quickly taking a bite before it jumped away. Will did the same.

"What are these cards for?" Will asked.

"Collectors cards," Al replied. "I got Dumbledore, that's whom I'm named after. He was my father's headmaster at school," Al explained.

"Ooo, I got Merlin again, I have about 20 of him! " Rose said.

"Who did you get Will?"Al asked.

"Harry Potter."

"What!" Shouted Rose and Al at the same time.

"Well what does it say," they both asked curiously.

"Umm... known as the boy who lived, he was the only person to ever survive the death curse, battled and killed the dark lord. If it wasn't for Harry Potter our world would have gone upside down," Will read.

"Dad never mentioned anything about that," Al said, suddenly he felt like he might as well be a stranger to his own father.

"Well, we should be arriving soon," Rose said. "I suggest you two get your robes on now. I'll find out how much longer we have till we reach Hogwarts."

At that Rose opened the door and left.

"Is Harry Potter your dad?" Will asked.

"Yes, but he never said anything about saving the world," Albus replied.

They put their black robes on and Rose returned.

"All I could get out of them was any minuet now," Rose said, not liking the vague answer she was given.

The train came to a halt and the three anxiously looked out of the it stood rising off of a cliff , its towers and turrets pointing to the sky.

"First years this way!" a head boy shouted. "Follow me to the boats."

Rose, Will, and Albus joined the first years and followed the head boy to the the lake were the boats would take them to Hogwarts.

"Four per boat," the boy shouted.

Rose, Will, and Al quickly got in a boat along with a nervous looking boy holding a squirming frog between his hands.

"Helloa, I'm Burt Poelyton,' .the boy said.

"Hello ," Rose said," mind if we sit here."

"Not at all."

"'Which house do you want to be in," Rose asked once they were all seated.

"Gryffindor, but I have a feeling that I'll be placed in Hufflepuff like the rest of my family." Burt replied sulkily.

The boats took off across the lake and Al stared wondrously at the huge Castle that he had heard about so many times. The mist rising off the water tumbled with the wind and crashed into the hillside that the castle rose out of. The honey orange light of the torches danced merrily on the mighty, weather-beaten gray stones, casting sharp shadows of dark purple on the sides of the school. Once the boats were in the middle of the lake, Al was abruptly pulled out of his reverie by something slimy landing on his lap and jumping into the abnormally still water.

"My frog!" Burt shrieked and without thinking, stood up and jumped in after his frog. Al and Will grabbed hold of Burt's robes and helped him back into the boat, water splashing all over their new, once crisp, robes.

"Caught him,'" Burt managed to sputter out, taking deep breaths.

"Are you OK?" the head boy shouted over to Burt.

"Yes, sorry I... er... fell," Burt replied, quite shaken.

Other kids near their boat began to laugh and Burt's face turned scarlet.

**Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review, like I've said, I started this in 2007 and I'm finally updating it in 2011! I'd like to know what you think of the story, characters, writing style, plot, etc. I'm not sure if anyone is interested in my story anymore... Back in 2007 there were only about a handful of Albus Potter stories out on fan fiction... now there's like thousands! Thank you!**

**- The Book Fanatic**


	2. The sorting

***Note from the author: So I'm going to be using this symbol (*) to insert any thoughts of mine from the present at the beginning of each chapter. I added quite a bit more to this than I previously had from 4 or 5 years ago… whenever it was that I wrote this. Changes have been made to Al's conversation with the Sorting Hat and a few more descriptive details. Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 2**

**The Sorting**

The boats landed against the shore with a soft thud and first years filed out, full of anticipation. And Burt was dripping wet, grasping on tight to his frog.

"This way," the head boy shouted with a wave of his hand.

Albus obediently followed the first years up a steep flight of sone stairs into a torch lit room where a woman in a velvet green robe waited near a huge wooden door.

"I am professor McGonigall, the headmistress of Hogwarts," she announced proudly. "We look forward to..." she started to speak again when Burt's frog rocketed out of his hands and leaped towards professor McGonigal.

"Noooo Humfry, not again!," Burt cried out and bounced after his troublesome frog.

"Goodness! Your soaking wet," McGonigal exclaimed, very alarmed.

"Aquvast Ortivios" she said pointing her wand at Burt, sending the water droplets clinging to Burt sizzling in a mist of speedy evaporation.

"Thanks Professor," Burt whispered frightened, but pleased that his clothes were dry again.

"I want no more interruptions from now on," she continued, glaring at Burt who backed up meekly into the crowd of black robes.

"You will be sorted into one of four houses which will be your home from now on: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. I expect all of you to respect your teaches and fellow students. Points will be awarded to those who've earned it and deducted from those who've disobey the rules. Any questions?" she finished, taking a brief pause and looking around at the new students frightened expressions.

"Good, follow me and when I'll call your name to come up to the stool and place the sorting hat on upon your head."

The huge doors swung open, revealing four rows of long wooden tables. Eager students' faces competing for a view of the first years stared right back at them. Albus looked up at the enchanted ceiling which appeared as a starry night's sky. Candles were hovering high above the ground and Albus looked anxiously around the room for his brother. When he picked him out among the tables he waved and smiled, James smiled back at him and gave him a reassuring nod. Albus then looked to the front of the room and saw the sorting hat on top of a wooden stool. It began to sing thus:

_Hard times have come hard times have gone_

_like a wheel turning round and round_

_Yet I wonder who starts the song_

_Witches and Wizards fear me not_

_For it's not I who decide you future._

_However, I can help sort you to your strengths... and weaknesses:_

_to become powerful and strong_

_to become clever and successful_

_to become diligent and kind_

_and to become brave and loyal._

_Tis up to you to decide the way you use it,_

_For in the end, nothing matters_

_unless you unite all._

A couple people clapped , but most stood wondering what in the world the sorting hat was blathering about. Professor McGonigal stood up next to the stool with a list of names clutched in her hands.

**"Berkly Abyon!"**

A nervous looking girl with her hair pull back walked up to the stool and stat down and McGonigal genteelly placed the sorting hat on her head.

**"Ravenclaw!"**

Relieved, the girl skipped to join her fellow Ravenclaws.

**"Dick Ackins"**

**"Hufflepuff!"**

**"Sally Bones"**

**"Hufflepuff!"**

It seemed to Al that he was going to be waiting for a life time.

**"Catriena Doewns"**

**"Slytherin!"**

"There's not very many Gryffindoors Al," Rose remarked.

"What? oh yeah," Al mumbled. He was to nervous to be listening.

**"William Locksly"**

Will stared at the hat blankly.

"Come on Will it's your turn," Rose said pushing him toward the hat.

Will sat on the stool and let the hat be placed on his head.

"Brave heart... loyal... quite skilled... yes, yes," the sorting hat mumbled to Will.

"**Gryffindor!" **the sorting hat announced.

Will smiled at Al and Rose and walked toward the cheering Gryffindor table.

**"Scorpious Malfoy"**

**"Slytherin!"**

"The hat didn't even touch his head," Rose whispered, wondering how that was possible.

**"Meav Maycock"**

**"Ravenclaw!"**

"your name should be coming up soon Al," Rose whispered into his ear.

**"Burt Poelyton"**

Burt marched up to the stool and waited for the hat to be put on his head.

"Brilliant Hufflepuff blood runs through your vanes, but there's something deeper...hmm...were to put you... not many people would jump in the lake without a thought... shows bravery... your quite loyal to your frog... better be," the sorting hat grumbled:

**Gryffindor!"**

Burt's eyes lit up like a million candles and he ran to the cheering Gryffindor's table. Rose and Al smiled too.

**"Albus Potter"**

Al stood petrified to his spot. He felt Rose's hand nudge him forward a little bit and mutter "it will be fine."

He took a deep breath and walked forward. Whispers of " Is that the son of Harry Potter" swept across the room like lightening.

Albus sat on the stool, his heart beating a billion times per minuet. Professor McGonigal gave him a reassuring smile and placed the sorting hat on his head.

"Hmmmm... another Potter... yet so scared? Would Gryffindor really be the house for you..."

"Not Slytherin," Albus whispered loud enough for only to the hat to hear. "Not Slytherin , not Slytherin, please not Slytherin..."

"Not Slytherin, aye?..." the hat continued, "Slytherin is a house of power... you would become great in Slytherin."

"Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin," Albus spoke automatically now. He was living a year in in minuet.

"Well then prove yourself... what makes you think you'll do better in Gryffindor?"

"Well, I'm not self centered, like a Slytherin. I don't want to be around people who will make fun of me and others day and night."

"Aye, but it's in your soul! You're destined to lead and stick out of the common crowd. You'll need to be able to judge people for yourself someday."

"To make decisions on my own? Yes. But not the common rude gossip and mean remarks of a Slytherin."

"Slytherin isn't all mean and rude, Albus. Slytherin used to produce students who could persuade and get others to agree with their wishes. You will need to learn how to live amongst people you're uncomfortable with... you will."

"Please! I want to thrive in an environment with those who will support me, not learn how to get along in an place where I'll have to constantly compete and feel put down!"

The hat and Albus continued to talk for half an hour. The students waiting to be sorted were getting tired, anxious, and scared. Albus saw their faces staring back at him, their eyes full of worry. He and the hat were still dulling back and forth with words.

"You may place me in Slytherin," Albus finally anounced, "there are many other students yet to be sorted. They don't deserve for me to take up their time. I am no more, nor no less special than the rest of them."

"That was well spoken like a Gryffindor," the hat took into consideration. "Yet, I do think you need Slytherin."

Albus took a deep breath, looked intently at the large doors opposite him, and his face turned cold and serious as he prepared to hear the dreadful word 'Slytherin' that would change his life.

**"Slyth…"**the hat stopped abruptly.

He felt the coolness on Albus's head and the willingness to take on whatever challenges tumbled upon him.

"Now that's the bravery of a true Gryffindor," the hat said to himself with a smile.

**"GRYFFINDOR!"**The hat shouted so loudly with pleasure that it nearly blew McGonigal's eardrum out.

Albus's dark face broke into a smile that seemed as if is it glowed with sun's rays of light. The Gryffindor table clapped and shouted with joy as loud as thunder. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table clapped too, for they were getting wary of waiting so long.

James smiled at his brother and Al smiled back. He took a seat next to Will and continued to watch the delayed sorting.

**"Cathrine Watersbruke"**

**"Ravenclaw!"**

**"Rose Weasley"**

Rose smiled at Al and ran up to the hat anxious to be sorted.

**"Gryffindor!"**

Rose smiled even more, her wavy red hair glowing. She ran to join Al and Will who were clapping along with the rest of the Gryffindors.

"What took the hat so long to sort you," Rose whined to Al.

**"Benjermen Wood"**

**"Gryffindor!"**

"The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," Al continued.

**"Anne Wonde"**

"Why" Rose asked.

**"Hufflepuff!"**

Al sighed, still not sure if Gryffindor was the right place for him, but filled with pure, dead relief that he was in Gryffindor.

**"Virginia Yeomen"**

**"Gryffindor!"**

Professor McGonigal stood up to begin her speech.

"Now that we have finished our sorting ceremony I have a few regulations I hope all will of you will follow.

1. The Forbidden forest is forbidden, hence it's name.

2. There will be no magic used outside of the school.

3. The use of harmful magic is prohibited.

4. Unfortunately the use of the Weasley products are banned, unless you obtain permission from a teacher. But mind you! Only for educational uses only." McGonigal concluded peering out at her students.

A few groans swept throughout the Great Hall, but hushed quickly.

"Good, then let the feast begin!" McGonigall excliamed, waving her hands in the air.

Dishes of exotic fruits, fresh vegetables, simmering stew, soft mash potatoes, buttery noodles, pulled steak, spice-sprinkled salmon, homely fish-and-chips, silver goblets filled with pumpkin juice and punch mixed with berries and fruits, warm loafs of bred were piled on top of each other, jams, marmalades, and butter were set on golden trays, the air filled with many scents and everyones eye's sparkled with delight, so the feast began!

**Thank you for the lovely reviews. I tried to put quotations and correct punctuation in this time. This was boring chapter, but necessary for the rest of the story, I hope you enjoyed it though. Please leave a review to help me get better! Thank you!**


	3. Lost

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Lost**

Al, Will, and Rose filled their plates with food and the Gryffindor table talked merrily to each other about their summers. James congratulated Al with a big hug and a I-told-you-that-you'd-be-in-Gryffindor grin. Al and Will chattered to each other happily while Rose looked around the table searching for something.

"What are you looking for Rose?" Albus asked.

"I don't recall having seen Teddy, he was chosen head boy you know, so he would of led us to the boats," Rose said while her eyes skimmed across the Great Hall.

Al looked across the room too,"Where's Hagrid?"

"I'm not sure," Rose whispered, a tad bit worried.

When everyone finished eating, the head girl of Gryffindor rose and announced for the first years to follow. Al, Will, and Rose got up and followed the head girl and the other first year Gryffindors through the medieval corridors. Al and Will enjoyed watching the portraits talk and the stairs that moved. Rose, however, couldn't take her mind off Teddy Lupin and Hagrid's absence. Something in her gut pulled her thoughts away from anything else. Rose drifted apart from the crowd and wandered aimlessly through the halls. Her mind filled itself with questions. She walked here and there, her eyes glazed over with a zoned out look. She let her feet carry her where they pleased.

**meanwhile...**

Al and Will stopped walking when the head girl came to a large painting of a fat woman in a pink dress.

"Password?" the fat Lady said with a smile at the new Gryffindors.

"The Leo O' Lacock," the head girl replied.

The portrait swung open and revealed a huge room with an enormous window looking out over the dark lake and green hillside of merry England.

"This is the common room," announced the head girl matter-of-factly.

Red and gold banners and carpets adorned the walls. Huge stone fire-places were on either side of the room, big enough to fit a mountain troll inside them, cozy red chairs surrounded the fire place, and there were tables throughout the room for work space.

"To the left are the girls dorms and to the right are the boy's. First years will take the top floor. This will be your home form now on. If you have any questions you may ask me or Teddy Lupin, who is currently not here right now."

And with that, the head girl sweetly smiled and walked toward a group of girls sitting near the fire. Will looked around, admiring everything about his new home when he noticed that Rose wasn't there.

"Where's Rose?" Will asked Al.

"I thought she was with us," Albus replied looking around the room without finding her.

The two boys rushed out of the Gryffindor Common Room and into the hall.

"Do you see her?" Al asked anxiously.

"No, lets go this way," Will said running down the hall, their footprint's echoing off of the slabs of stone.

**meanwhile...**

Rose awoke to her senses and discovered she was lying down on a bed of soft leaves.

"Where am I?" Rose asked herself. "I must have fallen over this tree root. I don't remember being in a forest though..."

Rose looked about her. There were huge hardwood trees towering above her, blocking out the night sky. The forest was dark and murky, fog swirled around the ground, and there was movement and cries of animals here and there. Rose was frighted more than she ever was in her life.

"This must be the Forbidden Forest," Rose said to herself, shaking.

luckily she remembered a spell she had read about in the summer to shine light.

"Lumos," Rose said and a gentle light shined out of her wand.

Rose was pleased with herself, this was the first spell she had ever done with her wand. She looked carefully in every direction and decided to turn right. Rose tread carefully through the forest, having to alter her path around giant trees. She stumbled among a trickling brook with green moss carpeting the rocks in the stream. Delighted, Rose thought that if she could follow a stream surely she would find some way out, maybe it even lead to the Hogwarts lake. The night was growing ever more darker and Rose felt her knees would drop if she moved a step further. Becoming thirsty, she took a sip of the brook's ice-cold water and sat on a large rock covered with lichens.

"Let's see," Rose thought to herself. "I must have been walking for at least three hours now. Oh! I do hope I haven't been going in circles. No no, I couldn't have gone in circles. I'm following a winding stream."

Her eyes wanted to close but she fought against her eyes and eventually won.

"I must stay awake," Rose said to herself out loud.

"You better or you might never open your eyes again," said a voice over her shoulder.

Rose jumped and felt cold breath pricking her neck. Slowly she turned her head. Two inches in front of her nose a creature stood, half horse and half man.

"What are you doing in these parts of the woods?" the centaur asked.

"I got lost," Rose replied feebly.

"The forbidden forest is not a good place for young witches to wandering. Even centaurs don't like the wizarding world all that much. However, I see you are a child, therefore I will help you. My name is Hansveer, I am a centaur. Hop on my back and I'll bring you to camp."

Rose did as bidden.

"Thank you Hansveer," Rose said politely,"I'm Rose Weasley. I just started school at Hogwarts. I wandered around the halls and my eyes seemed to have not noticed where I was going or why," Rose continued."When I came to my senses and I was on the ground in the Forbidden Forest," Rose finished, surprised at how pathetic that sounded.

"Well Rose," Hansveer started," I'm taking you to our camp. We're currently at war against the werewolf's, vampires, and mountain trolls, and other creatures that have been hurting our people. So, we're fighting along with hippagriffs, unicorns, these giant spiders, and we also currently have two wizards with us. We're trying to convince other magical creatures to join out cause. No fighting has broken out yet, because we're still gather'n troops," he told Rose.

"Merlin's bead!" Rose exclaimed, "magical creatures are… at war with each other?"

Hanveer didn't answer, but replied sadly "Almost there."

**meanwhile...**

Al and Will looked around the castle for thirty minuets and took a break.

"We're going to have to tell McGonigal," Will said defeated.

"What if Rose went to the common room while we were looking for her," Al said.

"Let's give it try," Will replied.

The two retraced their steps back two the portrait of the fat lady.

"Password?" the fat lady asked, raising her eyebrows with suspicion.

"The Leo O'Lacock," Will answered with a grin on his face.

The portrait swung open and the boys tumbled in. Victorie walked up to them, ( I concluded that Victorie is Bill and Fleur's child, therefore Al and Rose's cousin.)

"Have you seen Teddy, Al?" Victorie said blushing.

"No, have you seen Rose?" Al asked.

"No. But oh! I'm so happy you're in Gryffindor though. The hat took forever to sort you," Victorie said and walked away quickly, sad that she couldn't find Teddy.

"Time to tell McGonigal," Al nodded to Will and they stepped out into the corridor.

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it's going to get better.**

**I looked through my spelling and punctuation, so if you stumble upon one of my mistakes please bear with me. Thank you. And I love reviews too. If you have any ideas I'll take them into consideration. To pronounce Hansveer it's ****H a (as in haha) nsv eer (as in ear)**


	4. The Centaur's Camp

**Chapter lV**

**The Centaurs' Camp**

Rose clung to Hansveer's mane. She could see a warm, flickering light between the trees and hear celtic tunes filling the air. Hansveer trotted into the camp and went toward the leader of the centaurs tent, passing roughly made tents with centaurs sharpening weapons, practicing archery, and playing ditties around the fire. Everyone stared at Rose and Hansveer as they walked up to a well built tent with scarlet banners hanging around it.

"General Wadsworth," Hansveer announced as he stepped into the well kept tent with a huge centaur examining maps with a tall man with a tangled beard. At that same time Rose's eyes spotted Hagrid as the tall man.

"Hagrid!" Rose shouted excitedly.

"Blimey Rose! What in the name of the Lochness Monster are ya do'n here?" Hagrid bellowed in his cockney accent.

General Wadsworth looked up from the maps at Hansveer who quickly explained Rose's circumstance.

"Well then, she must stay with us for the night, It would be too dangerous to take her back to the castle, Hagrid can take her to Hogwarts in the morning," Wadsworth stated.

Hansveer bowed and trotted out of the tent while Rose said her thanks to him. Hagrid walked out of the tent motioning for Rose to follow him.

"I'll get an owl and send it to McGonigal. You look tired. Why don't ya' go to sleep? Teddy isn't back yet, so you can have his blanket," Hagrid said merrily.

"Teddy's hear!" Rose exclaimed, surprised.

"Not exactly... "Hagrid muttered while cursing himself for saying Teddy was there.

"Well, where is he?" Rose asked.

"Teddy is with a party of the centaurs search'n for some ingredients to make a potion," Hagrid explained trying not to tell Rose to much.

"What kink of potion," Rose asked curiously.

"Well, you see there's been some bad luck lately with the the werewolves. This potion we're going to make gives you luck. When the potion's done, and we finally find were the great dogs are, well, hopefully we'll just get plain lucky fighting them," Hagrid said, instantly regretting the he said a word incase someone might trick Rose into spilling the beans.

"Why's Teddy hear?" Rose asked.

"Well you know his father was turned into a werewolf, so when I told him about it just before the train left Platform 9 and 3/4, well ... he insisted on coming along with me to help fight against them... or at least trying to talk reason into them to give up," Hagrid explained.

"What!" Rose exclaimed."Teddy never told me anything about his father being a werewolf!"

"Didn't Harry, Ron, and Hermione ever tell you anything?" Hagrid asked.

"No, although on the Hogwarts Express, Al and I stumbled upon a chocolate frog card about Al's dad, my uncle, defeating the dark lord," Rose said, suddenly feeling like she was a stranger to her own family.

"Great Scott! Rose, your uncle is famous, so is your mum and dad. I thought James would of told ya about this," Hagrid roared.

"Never," Rose replied yawning.

As much as Rose was interested to find out more, she had a difficult time keeping her eyes open.

"I'll tell you more about it on the way to Hogwarts tomorrow," Hagrid said seeing how tired Rose appeared. "But what in the barking blazes possessed you to come into the Forest?"

"I don't know. My feet moved like magic…"

Hagrid led Rose to a tent on the outskirts of the camp. Tall trees loomed over it, however, it had a rather cozy appearance about it. Inside there were two sleeping bags rolled out on the ground. On top of them Hagrid's massive dog lay, slobbering all over the one on the left side of the tent. Rose took the sleeping bag on the right, not wishing to sleep on slobber, and laid down on top of it, falling asleep before her wavy red hair had a chance to touch the pillow.

**Thank you everyone for reading! Please leave a review if you have a few spare seconds and let me know what you think. Thanks!**


	5. Back at Hogwarts

**Chapter V**

**Back at Hogwarts**

Rose awoke to find herself laying on one of the couches in the Gryffindor common room. Startled, she sat up and looked around. Teddy Lupin was pacing back and forth, his eyes burring the floor with his gaze.

"Teddy!" Rose shouted happily.

"Why did you have to come?" Teddy abruptly asked Rose in a sharp voice.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, a shiver flying though her at the coldness in his tone. His voice has always seemed warm as a summer's day to her.

"I wanted to stay and fight, but no. Hagrid just had to tell McGonigal that we were with him, so Hagrid was forced to take us back," Teddy explained, his voice raising in anger.

"I'm sorry Teddy," Rose said weakly, her voice breaking.

"Well whats done is done," Teddy calmly said to Rose with a sigh.

After a brief silence Rose dared to ask "Do you know were Albus is?"

"Yes, He and another lad told me to tell you that they would meet you in the Great Hall."

Rose ran out of the Gryffindor house and down the magical stairs to the Great Hall. She quickly found were Al and Will were sitting and joined them.

"Glad your back Rose," Al said giving her a smile.

"Same here, we looked everywhere for you," Will huffed, making his voice sound out of breath.

Rose told them of her adventures and of the war that the magical creatures were going to fight. Al and Will were interested in what Rose said, but James burst into the Great Hall with his friend and strode over to Al, interrupting Rose.

"Why hello Al, I just came over here to say my last words to you, mate," James said with a big grin.

"Why, what do you mean, James?" Al asked confused.

"Well surly your going to die in magical spells class. Your expected to fight a tiger, I barely made it last year, but I did. Although, half the class was torn to pieces. Well good bye," James said with a deep bow and walked away.

"James! Wait, James! What do you mean! **JAMES**!" Al shouted as James walked away.

People from the Slytherin table stared at Al like he was a maniac. Embarrassed, Al quickly took a seat.

"OOooh great! Do you think he's joking Rose?" Al asked trembling.

"Of course he is. He always jokes," Rose said calmly, rolling her eyes. Al's gullibility really was astounding.

"Well, I hope your right," Will muttered.

"We better get going before we're late to class," Rose said cheerfully, pushing Will and Albus out of their seats.

The three walked to charms class and took a seat.

"I am professor Flitwick," a tiny man said while climbing on top of a pile of books in order to be level with his students," Today we will learn to make a feather fly. Do all of you have your feathers? Yes? Jolly good, now then," Professor Flitwick said in his sophisticated squeaky voice," The name for the spell is _wingardium leviosa. _Now everyone, give it a go!" he commanded.

The students started waving their wands in the air while saying wingardium leviosa, yet failed. Will was unsuccessfully pointing his wand at the feather and saying " wingardium leviousa" or "wengardium levioasa," . Rose just sat in her seat staring at everyone with a interested expression.

"Aren't you going to try?" Will asked Rose frustrated after trying 26 attempts at making his feather fly.

"Sure, but I'm just watching everyone right now," Rose said, "it's quite amusing really."

"Well, give it a shot then," Will said.

Rose pointed her wand at her feather and giving it a little flick said in a clear voice,"wingardium leviosa." Her feather daintily flew up to the top of the class room and professor Flitwick praised her for her skill and awarded Gryffindor with 5 house points. Will and everyone else continued their attempt again.

"How did you do that Rose?" Al asked.

"Well, You have to pronounce it correctly," Rose said smugly.

"Hhmmmmm..." All murmured as he thought of the _correct _pronunciation.

"win-gard-ieu-m lev-i-osa," Al said to himself in his head. He gave his wand a little flick, concentrating on how he would say it out loud. Suddenly his feather soared up into the air next to Roses.

"Congratulations! 3 points for Gryffindor," Professor Flitwick said.

"Professor," Al said completely stunned,"I didn't actually say it out loud, it just flew."

"Why thats 6th and 7th year magic! How did you do it?" Professor Flitwick asked in a serious manner, the whole class dropping dead silent, all eyes turned towards him.

"Err, I was just thinking of the way Rose pronounced it and I gave my wand a practice flick and it, it just happened," Al timidly said.

"20 points for Gryffindor! That was very advanced magic ," Professor Flitwick exclaimed happily.

Al smiled, happy that he did something that James couldn't do yet. Will gave Al a how-did-you-do-that-wickedly-advence-magic-for-the-first-time-you-used-your-wand-in-your-life-and-managed-to-do-it-without-saying-any-words look. Al shrugged and Will went back to his attempt at making his feather fly.

The three walked out of class and went to herbology, where Neville made a long speech on how pleased he was that he could teach them and gave Gryffindor 10 points because Rose knew that the effects of the Julipinian purple tree root were when a slug ate it. When class was over, the three headed over to the history of magic. To Al, it seemed as if this class would go on forever. While Rose earned 5 points, Will slept and Al struggled to keep his eyes open.

"Really Will, I don't see whats so boring about the history of magic," Rose said cheerfully as they walked to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Its almost like he had sleeping powder in his room," Al said giving a big yawn.

"Well, I found it fascinating! I never knew that Gregorice the Gallant was the founder of potion making. I mean, really, sure he was prince of the wizarding world in 20 B.C., but...," Rose continued to blab on and Will and Al rolled their eyes.

"Food at last!" Will interrupted Rose when they got to the Great Hall.

"You two go along, I'll meet you later, I really must write my mum and dad," Al said and he started walking to the Owl tower.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I just stared to write the next. Please review :)**


	6. Malfoy

_Hello everyone! I'm dreadfully sorry for the the long delay. I will try to update sooner. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter._

_- the Book Fanatic_

**Chapter VI**

**Malfoy**

Al walked quickly up the stony flight of steps leading to the owl tower.

"It's really quiet up here," Al thought to himself, minus the fact that there was an occasional hoot from an owl.

Once Al finally made it to the top he took out a quill, a bottle of muti-colored ink, and paper out of his satchel and sat on the top step and began to write thus:

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I have a lot to say but I'll tell you the main points first. You were right Dad! The sorting hat does take your choice into consideration. However, he took my choice only after a long, long, debate. I was sorted into Gryffindor! The hat wanted me is Slytherin though. Rose was sorted into Gryffindor too! After the feast Rose walked off into the Forbidden Forest, but thats a long story. She is back now and all is well. Anyway, I've made a new friend! His name is William Locksley, his parents are muggles. I've been to only a couple classes today so far and I managed to make my feather fly without saying any words, is that normal? How is Lilly? Please tell her that I wish she was here. Well, I really must get some lunch now._

_love,_

_Al_

_p.s. Dad, why does everyone know your name here? We got a chocolate frog card with you on it. Please explain, James won't tell me anything._

Al walked into the owl room and held his breath, it was completely covered with a thick blanket of owl droppings. He chucked at the slightly and walked over to James' owl, Witherpuddle.

"Hello Witherpuddle," Al said stroking the dark brown feathers," could you please deliver this to Mum and Dad?"

Al tied the letter on to the owl's leg and Witherpuddle took off into the air. Al watched him till Witherpuddle was just a speck on the horizon. Al made his way down the tower to the Great hall were he found Will and Rose sitting with Teddy and Victorie. After lunch the three went to Transfiguration.

"Good afternoon class," Professor McGonigal said as she strode past them to the front of the class." Today we will be talking about the Importance of Transfiguration. One of the most import..."

The sentence was rudely cut of as a blond haired boy and a plump boy walked in and took a seat at the back. McGonical quickly stepped over to them and sharply said," Your late."

"Apparently," the blond headed boy remarked back while his friend gave a low pitched laugh.

Rather shocked at the boys rudeness McGonigal replied crisply," What's your name."

"Malfoy, Scorpious Malfoy," The blond said mockingly.

"Well then 5 points from Slytherin for being late and another 10 points from Slytherin for being rude to the headmistress and for interrupting my class," Professor McGonigal said curtly and walked back up to the front of the room to continue her lesson.

A ripple of snickers came from the Gryffindors while the Slytherins simply glared at Malfoy.

"Is that the boy the one my dad said that I would be disinherited if I befriend?" Rose whispered to Al.

"Yes, I do believe so," Al chuckled.

"Well, dad won't have to worry about that. He's absolutely rude! Did you see the way he mock McGonigal," Rose said flatly, hatred fairing in her eyes.

Out of the blue, a scream filled the room and everyone craned their necks to see where it came from. All the Slytherins laughed as they saw Burt Poelytons face swell up six times it's normal size while tears were running down his swollen cheeks. Professor McGonigal quickly ran to where he was, took his hand, and raced out of the room toward the hospital wing. Malfoy let out a a wicked crackle of laughter and the Slytherins congratulated him. A couple Gryffindor boy got up and pointed their wands at Scorpius.

" What do you think your going to do? Turn me into bread and butter?" Malfoy said, egging them on.

One of the Gryffindor boys raised his wand and shouted," Yelvixsterium," and a flash of white sparks flew from his wand and landed on Malfoys feet.

Malfoy laughed coarsely and said to his fellow Slytherins," Stupid guy, can't even preform magic."

"Stupid guy can't even preform magic aye?" the Gryffindor mocked back," try getting up out of your seat."

At that Scorpius' face went pale. He stood up and tried to move his feet but they wouldn't budge.

"What did you do?" Scorpius demanded arrogantly.

"Glued your feet along with your shoes to the floor," the Gryffindor replied.

Angrily Scorpius raised his wand and a flash of blue light illuminated the room and Malfoys wand was on the floor, out of his reach. Rose slowly lifted her wand down while Scorpius glared at her and shouted," You'll pay for this!"

Al, Will, and Rose laughed cheerfully as they left the class and Malfoy alone and headed toward Defense Against the Dark Arts.

**Sorry this chapter was a bit short. I would like to explain something though: How come Al and Rose don't know Harry is famous? Remember when they were about to board the H. Express, everyone was pointing/ looking at Harry and One of the children asked why, and Ron said he was famous, then they all laughed. Well, to me that proves that they don't know. I love reviews so please do if you have time! Thanks! **


	7. Defense Aginst The Dark Arts

_Hey, I hope the delay wasn't too long this time. Enjoy!_

**CHAPTER VII**

**DEFENSE AGINST THE DARK ARTS**

"What do you think is going to happen to Malfoy?" Al asked as they passed a portrait of a lady singing opera from Mozart's _Don Giovanni_.

"Well, when McGonigal returns to her room Malfoy will have to explain why someone glued his feet to the floor," Rose said happily.

"Do you think Burt's going to be alright," Will said quietly.

"We'll stop by the hospital wing after Defense Against the Dark Arts," Rose said as they walked through the chamber and into DA.

"Let's sit over there," Al said while pointing to the front row on the right corner of the room.

The room was rather gloomy, Al thought as they stepped into the empty room. The windows were covered with black curtains and there were trillions of candles floating above there heads, making the ceiling barely visible. More and more Gryffindor and Slytherins arrived in the room, all seemed be a bit frightened by the dark mood.

"It is a bit spooky in here, don't you think," Rose said in a timid voice. Al and Will nodded their heads in agreement.

All of the sudden a person wearing a long, flowing black cloak stepped out of a dark corner of the room and strode past the surprised students to the front of the class.

"Greetings," he said in a clear, quiet, but firm voice. "I am Professor Duairc Speirling "

Silence engulfed the room as students stared at him. He was tall, and he had sorrowful gray eyes with black hair that drooped over his pale forehead and onto his shoulders.

"The Defense Against the Dark Arts," Professor Speirling said by breaking the awkward silence," is an art that hopefully none of you will have to use in your life. However it's better to be on the safe side just incase any of you need it. Now if all of you will turn to page 16 in your book we will begin our lesson on when we use certain spells..."

Once the lesson was finished Al, Will, and Rose rushed out of the room.

"Great Scott! The whole time I felt like running out but wasn't able to," Will blurted out, glad not to be in the room with Professor Speirling anymore.

"His lesson was interesting," Rose said dreamily, "However he makes me think about Hamlet."

"You know Shakespeare?" Will asked, surprised.

"My grandfather is an expert in all things muggle" Rose said proudly.

Al still felt quite shaken from that class. His hands felt clammy as he clung to his books and tried to take his thoughts off Professor Speirling. The man looked like he could burst out weeping any second… or set the building on fire. As Al pondered over the mysterious man, he decided that Steirling looked almost envious of the students. Strange.

"Let's go see how Burt is and tell him how lucky he is to miss Speirling's class," Will said eagerly.

"Agreed," Rose answered and they headed toward the hospital wing.

_Sorry that it was a bit short but the next chapter's going to be longer and more interesting... I hope. Please review if you have time! Thanks: )_


	8. What Occurred During Dinner

**Chapter VIII**

**What Occurred During Dinner**

The three entered the hospital wing, and found Burt lying in a bed at the far side of the room. His head had shrunk a bit, but was still considerably swollen.

"How are you doing Burt?" Rose asked kindly.

Burt gave a low moan and mumbled under his breath," Better than a minuet ago."

"Rose glued Malfoy's feet to the bottom of the floor, so when McGonigal finds Malfoy hasn't left her class yet, he will have to explain why someone would glue his feet to the floor." Will said excitedly.

"Cool, but he could always lie right?" Burt said while moaning.

Al didn't think about that. Malfoy could blame anyone he chose.

"Oh great! Your right Burt. We will have to tell McGonigall before he can spit out lies."

"Wait!" Burt said, stopping the three before they left, "Its awfully boring just lying here, what can I do to catch up in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Well, your really rather lucky that you didn't have to go, Professor Speirling is just plain creepy," Will said while a shudder ran down his spine as he thought of the fowl professor.

"We read pages 16 through 20," Rose answered, rolling her eyes at Will's remark.

"Thanks guys," Burt moaned and the three left to have dinner.

They were silent as they walked through the halls, listening to there foot steps echo off the cold stone. When they entered the Great Hall they found empty seats next to Teddy and Victorie.

"Hello," Victorie greeted them," How was your first day?"

"Interesting," Albus replied, groping for the right words to describe such a day in his mind.

"Who's your favorite teacher so far?" Teddy asked.

"Neville," all of them answered at the same time.

"You'll have to call him Professor Longbottom from now on." Teddy said smiling, while taking a bite of a stake and potato pasty, and washing it down with a large sip of tea.

"It will take a while to get used to that," Rose replied while she filled here plate with mashed potatoes.

"Oh Great, here comes McGonigall and Malfoy," Will said while Professor McGonigall walked directly toward them.

"Miss Weasly," McGonigall said in a stern voice," may I see the three of you for a moment."

Teddy spoke quickly and said," I'm sure they did nothing wrong professor."

"Maybe," McGonigal replied, "but in the meantime follow me."

Al, Will, and Rose slowly got up and joined McGonigal and a satisfied looking Malfoy.

Once they were outside the Great hall professor McGonigal spoke," the three of you had no right to use magic in my class!"

"Professor," Hermione said tentatively," Al and Will never used magic, someone else glued Malfoy's feet to the ground because of what Malfoy did to Burt."

"Is that so?" McGonigall said turning her head to Malfoy.

Malfoy just glared at Rose, however he wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Rose used magic too Professor," Malfoy said mockingly.

"Well then, the two of you have detention friday with me. I'll be expecting you at 6 O'clock, sharp," McGonigal said sternly and walked back through the hall.

"You'll regret this," Scorpius said and left to join his friends at the Slytherin table.

"I didn't even get to defend myself," Rose said as they joined Teddy and Victorie again.

"I might be able to get you out of it," Teddy said, "after all I am head boy."

It seemed to Al that nothing worse could happen today. However it did, and it came in way that would change his life, little did he know at the time.

"Who are they," Will asked, pointing to two out of uniform students who just entered the great hall and were cautiously walking toward the Headmistress' table.

"There holding a Hogwarts acceptance letter," Rose noted.

The noise in the Great hall stopped and everyone was staring at the uncomfortable looking students. One was a boy who had long, untidy brown hair and a hateful face, his eyebrows being screwed close together… glaring at anyone who dared look at him. The other was a girl who had frizzy brown hair that fell to her waist. She kept her face down. Al switched his attention to McGonigal. She had stood up and was looking at their faces intently. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell slightly agape, but then a quick flash of fear replaced it. The two students walked to where McGonigal was standing, their foot steps made icy echoes as they did so. Finally the boy spoke.

"Sorry we have arrived late Professor McGonigall," the boy said in a voice that made shivers fly up and down Albus's spine," My sister and I received a invitation to Hogwarts and would be glad to accept," the boy finished.

"And you are..." McGonigall said, although Al could tell she knew exactly who they where.

" Iontach Grayback," the boy replied.


	9. Spying

**Chapter IX**

**Spying**

"Follow me," McGonigal said stiffly to the Graybacks.

Al watched them walk out of the Great hall and then turned to speak to Rose when he noticed her mouth was opened in a perfect 'O'.

"Are you okay Rose?" Al asked while taking a sip of tea.

Rose didn't respond. Instead she slowly turned her head to face Teddy. His face was drained of all color and his hands shook violently.

"What's wrong?" Al asked casually, completely oblivious to what was going on.

Teddy started breathing in short gasps of air.

"Oh god, Victorie we have to get him to the Hospital wing now. He's hyperventilating," Rose directed.

Before Al could blink Rose and Victorie were out of the Great hall pulling Teddy with them. Will was running after them. Al stared at their empty seats. The room wasn't quiet anymore, everyone was whispering to each other.

"Great," Al thought glumly, "something else I don't know."

Al sighed and lifted his tea cup to his mouth, blowing on the steam to cool it down.

"Hey Al," James whispered urgently. Al jumped out of his seat surprised, and managed to spill the hot tea everywhere.

"Where are you James?" Al hissed through his teeth.

"Under the table."

"Why are you under there?"

"I want to show you something," James replied , "so get your butt down here, now!"

Al felt James tug his pants and reluctantly ducked under the table.

"Now thats better isn't it?" James said giving Al a mischievous grin.

"What are you doing James?" Al asked annoyed.

"Follow me," James said casually and started crawling between the legs of students.

"Fine," Al mumbled unhappily under his breath and followed his brother.

"Were are we going?" Al asked when James suddenly stopped.

"Keep your voice down will you?" James said quietly, ignoring Al's question.

"What are you looking at?" Al asked because James still wasn't moving.

Chuckling quietly James replied with one of his famous I-am-clearly-up-to-no-good grins and replied, "Do you really want to know?"

"Obviously," Al said frustrated.

"Well I was going to take the short-cut under this stone," James began with a twinkle in his eye, "but then I noticed that Danielle Carter has nice legs."

"Gah!" Al said sticking his tongue out and shoving his brother on the shoulder.

James laughed quietly while he pointed his wand at a stone on the floor and muttered, "Wengardium Leviosa."

The stone quietly floated up reveling a pitch black hole.

"What.." Al began to say but James had pulled him into a dark corridor.

"Lumos," James said and light sprouted from the tip of his wand reveling an old piece of parchment in James' hand.

"This is," James began," The Marauders Map."

"Umm, there's nothing on it," Al said matter of factly. His brother was so blind sometimes.

James laughed again and said," Dad gave it to me as a gift if a promised not to tell you anything about his…er…well you'll find out. He wanted to tell you in his own words."

"Tell me what," Al asked trying to sound innocent.

"Not yet," James replied and with a smirk said,"watch this."

He pointed his wand at the parchment and said gravely," I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Al watched amazed as the map of Hogwarts emerged on the paper.

"Coo huh?" James asked still grinning.

"Aye," Al replied, his mouth slightly agape.

"Show me the Graybacks," James said and two pairs of foot prints appeared.

"Wow! How did.." Al began…

But James cut him off with," we are here," showing Al their set of footprints," so we need to cut across here and then go over there and make a left there then 5 rights and another left and we should be in McGoniagal's office," James concluded.

"Follow me," James commanded Al and they took off across the corridor, went through a couple of paintings, and they were suddenly at a dead end.

"Were are we?" Al asked out of breath.

James grinned and removed a stone from the wall. Al and James had a perfect view of McGonigal seated behind her desk and The Graybacks seated in chairs.

"Can they see us?" Al asked.

"No, we're behind a mirror. But they can hear us if we're too loud," James whispered quietly.

Al pressed his ear to the wall and heard McGonigal speak in a over stressed calm voice, "I wasn't sure it was possible, but when your name appeared on the list for the sorting hat over the summer I sent the two of you a letter of acceptance but I never dreamed you would decide to come."

"Father didn't want us to come," Iontach said quietly with a forced laugh," We were only able to get away unnoticed a couple days ago. Sorry we arrived late. But I promise my father will let us stay. He doesn't have time worry only about us."

"What do you mean," McGonigal said narrowing her eyes.

"Well Liath and I have 32 step-brothers and sisters, we're the only ones who are a wizard and witch, that doesn't make us well liked in the first place." Iontach said, choosing his words carefully.

"Think about that Al! 32 brothers and sisters!" James whispered under his breath.

"Right, of course. But, why are you two the only witches and wizard of the family?" McGonigal asked.

"I think are mum was a witch, father erm.. 'attacked' mum when he discovered that we couldn't switch into werewolf form by will. We only change into werewolf's when there's a full moon." Iontach said.

"Oh," McGonigal said, her face paling, "so you aren't here to spy on us."

"No," Iontach said," Liath and I refuse to be part of fathers up coming war."

"May I ask why all the uprisings are even happening?" McGonigal asked.

Iontach shook his head sadly and said, "The Dark Lord may have died but his ideas for the future didn't."

"I see," McGonigal said with a sigh. "Well, would you like to be sorted here or at the Great Hall?"

Iontach smiled and said," I would prefer it was here."

"Very well." McGonigal said and walked to a cabinet were the sorting hat was kept along with other such magical items.

McGonigal brought the sorting hat to her desk and said, " Iontach Grayback," and placed the sorting hat on top of him.

After about 2 and a half minuets the sorting hat said," Slytherin."

McGonigal took the hat off Iontach and said," Liath Grayback."

Liath looked up at the McGonigal and for the first time Al saw her face. She had strikingly pale skin and dark hazel eyes. Her overall appearance was haunting and Al shivered slightly. Liath let McGoniagl put the sorting hat on her head.

"I think the hat is talking to her," Al whispered to James.

"Slytherin," the hat solemnly said after 6 dreadfully quiet minuets.

"Congratulations," McGonigal said dryly, "follow me to your table in the great hall and I'll tell the head boy to help you out tomorrow. Do you have any supplies?"

"Sorry, no," Iontach said quietly.

"Oh in that case I'll get your supplies. Do you have wands?"

"Sorry, no again," Iontach said again.

"I have a few spare you can use until we get you proper wands," McGonigal said searching around her desk and pulled out to wands.

"Thank you," Iontach said and Liath bowed her head in a grateful manner.

Once they left McGonigal's office James whispered, "Time for bed. I'm tired aren't you?"

"I suppose," Al said and they took of down the secret passages.

"Hey," AL said," How come your friends aren't with you?"

James laughed and said, "Well, as much as they would love to come, Tim was talking to a girl he has a huge crush on for the first time and it just so happens Sydney's favorite food is steak and potato pasties, tonight's dinner."

"Well here we are," James said as they arrived at the portrait of the fat lady.

"Password," she said lazily.

"The red lion O'Lacock," James replied and the portrait swung open.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Hey! Sorry I haven't up dated for a while. Exams are over and school is out for summer ( Yahoo!) I hope you liked this chapter. I love review! : )**


	10. It's Time

***Note from the author: Huzza! Done editing my work form years ago… it's a good feeling! I had to change some things in this chapter about Liath for plot device… my story needs it…badly. But now I have a bit of a plot going, so thank you for reading and enjoy!**

The night passed silently and the week passed quietly. Nothing of any crucial significance happened that is worth mentioning. Al told Rose and Will of his little trip with James and for the rest of the week Al kept his eyes on the siblings. They never did anything out of the ordinary. However, Al did learn what their personalities were like from keeping a close eye and ear on them. Iontach wasn't mean or brutal like Al suspected, he only spoke when spoken to and what he said was said frankly, but not impolitely. Liath only spoke in jesters to her brother. Her face was constantly hid behind a mass of long, dark hair which twisted down to he waist. Iontach always had a serious countenance: a permanent "V" between his eyebrow and a sharp nose.

"Honestly Al, you have to stop starring at them so. It's impolite and a bit unhealthy, considering that thats all you do," Rose scolded, stressing each adverb.

"Well, she does have a point Al," Will stated shyly.

"Yes I know, i know," Al sighed, but continues to stare across the great hall to the Slytherin table, "but they are children of werewolfs…"

"By Jove Al! Your doing it again!" Rose hissed through her teeth.

"Awe sorry, but I can't stop feeling that they're not here for the learning only," Al said, finally adverting his eyes.

"I know you think that they're here to spy on us, but…" Will started to say

But, Al cut him off and asked, "Well, it is possible."

"You could be right, but its unfair to accuse them just yet," Rose said while leaning into the table.

"How do you propose..." Al inquired.

"I have detention with our favorite Slytherin in an hour. Surely he would know something about them."

"Sounds brilliant Rose," Al said rolling his eyes, "Just go up and ask Scorpius ' Why hello, can you tell me about anything unusual the Graybacks do please?'".

"Actually, that is what I am going to do," Rose spit back," honestly Albus, people with big egos like to blab. In fact , I think I'll talk to him right now," Rose said angrily and got up.

"NO, wait!" Al called to his cousin, but Rose was already halfway across the room.

"Oh no! She's talking to him now!" Will sighed and covered his face with his hand.

"Well, it's her funeral," Al said frustrated.

Al waited for something to happen. He began to worry that Scorpius might blow her head up, or turn her skin color to purple with pink polka-dots (Burt's latest symptom from the Scorp). However, something far, far worse happened. In fact, so horrible and inscrutable that it defied all laws of nature, physics, arithmetic, music theory, science, astrology, aeronautics, and the art of eating with chopsticks. It was magic. A most malicious kind of magic. Scorpius Malfoy willing let Rose sit next to him.

You might as well hit Will and Al with a freight train, or take them up on a 100 ft high-dive and force them to do a belly flop. Will's jaw dropped and his tung out like a giraffe's. Al's cup of tea crashed to the floor, sending fibers of sharp porcelain whizzing across the stone. A picosecond later Al fell off the bench and didn't even grunt when his back slammed smack dap on the stone floor, causing many confused stares form neighbors. Al came to his senses only when he realized that a fat black owl was perched on his nose.

"Ah... Witherpuddle! That kinda hurts."

Witherpuddle gave a happy hoot and proudly stuck out a leg in front of Al's eye. Tied to it with a maroon ribbon was a letter. Al tried to sit up, but groaned when he felt a sharp pain travel down his neck.

"Hey Will? can you help me up?" Al asked.

Will gave no response, but just sat there like a slug moving his mouth up and down disbelievingly. Al gave and just laid on the cold floor, starring up at the somewhat overcast sky/ celling, until a melodic voice from somewhere kindly said, "Need a hand?"

The speaker didn't wait for a response and two strong hands bent down and lifted Al up like a rag doll.

"You okay?" he asked.

Al was stunned, _it_ was Iontach.

"Um" was all Al managed to sputter out, but Iontach didn't mind.

"You might want to go to the hospital wing. You have some glass lodged in your neck."

"Ouch," Al whispered in an unbelievable trance.

"Er, seems like your friend isn't going to help. Um, my sister, Liath, can escort you to the hospital wing if you want. I would take you myself, but I have to go somewhere so ...um, yeah."

Al nodded his head slowly.

"Well, see you round. I think the Grtffindors and Slytherins have quite a few classes together."

Again Al just nodded.

Ionthach walked away and Liath slowly walked to were Al and Will were.

She gave them a curious look as if asking "Are you guys okay?"

"Um" Al choked.

She gave a small grimace, her pale hand flying up to the nape of her neck and pointed at it. Her eyes drifted to the door of the great hall and then back to Al and Will. Suddenly, she gently took hold of Will's and Al's wrists and pulled them down the halls. After a time of considerable silence she pointed to the top of Al's head with an inquiring look in her eyes.

"Huh?" Al grunted.

Her eyes peered to the top of Al's head. Al felt something tug his hair and give a happy hoot.

"Ow, um thats my brothers owl, Witherpuddle."

She seemed to chuckle softly to herself, without any noise escaping, and nodded her head, Al felt his ears go red and asked "What's so funny?"

She gave smile, took out a scrap of paper from her pocket and scribbled on it: _Apart from having and owl on top of your head, I think that's the first intelligible thing you've said._

"Well, you haven't exactly said much either…" Al smiled back.

Her face went deadly sad. She lift her long fingers to her lips and opened and closed her mouth, trying to talk without any noise escaping, as if trying to say _mute_. Al blushed.

She quickly turned her face away and quickened her pace. Al was beginning to feel rather lightheaded and there was an unending pain in his shoulder. A moment later they arrived at the hospital wing and Liath wrote a brief explanation of their situation, the nurse handed her a bottle and she was off. The nurse quickly bustled over Al and cast a few spells upon him to heal.

"Drink this," the nurse commanded , pushing a cup of bubbling orange stuff into Al's hands, then she went to fix Will up from his shock.

Witherpuddle have a sharp impatient hoot and wiggled his leg with the letter on it several times.

"Ah, sorry Withers," Al sighed and carefully took the letter off his leg, "go get some rest now" Al whispered gently to the exhausted owl.

Then he read the letter as follows:

_My dear boy,_

_Mum and I are so happy that you were placed in the house you wanted. We would have loved you none the less if you were in Slytherin though. As for the reason of everyones curiosity for you; I want you to go to Professor McGonigal and tell her that your father says it's time. James has already been through my memories and had faithfully kept it a secret from you and Lily. Do the same- don't tell Lily yet. As for my reason from keeping my stories from you, we wanted you to grow up normally._

_Love,_

_Dad_

Al put the letter in his pocket and quietly whispered to himself "It's time?"

Very puzzled Al starred out of the grand hospital window and watched Witherpuddle, a black dot against the horizon, disappear into the owlry.

The setting sun cast an orange glow across the slopping hills and cliffs, set the lake on a golden fire for a brief moment. Then All was covered by a black shadow. A shadow that crept up and destroyed the light of the moment before.

"But was it the light of the moon or the shadow of the sun?" Al wondered and whispered, "it's time."


	11. Time For

***Note from the author: 4 years later and I have finally decided to finish the bugger of story! What in the world was I thinking? I have enough characters now for an Agatha Christi novel! Haha, huzza for a challenge! This is a short chapter, but it'll be interesting to see if anyone is still reading my story. A four year lapse can kill interest and I'm very sorry. Time was not my own… in fact, that's still true. But hey, I'm going to try to finish this out. Try? Bah, I can do better than that: I will finish this out, even if I have zero readers! So yeah, please leave a review if you have time: encouragement, ideas, constructive criticism all welcome… and needed, perhaps?**

**- The Book Fanatic**

**Chapter XI**

**Time For….**

"Ah!" Scorpius said with a satisfied expression to Rose, "you've finally come to you're senses to beg forgiveness…"

"Not at all," Rose replied with a superior air, "actually I came over to remind you that we have to serve detention with McGonagall in exactly 10 minutes. Wouldn't want to be late now would we?"

"Now see!" Scorpius said, completely ignoring Rose. "This is exactly what I'm talking about, my friends: _creatures_ blathering next to you about who knows what, as if we're expected to reply! That's Hogwarts for you." Malfoy said waving his hand in an exasperated expression while his Slytherin friends snickered at Rose.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Idiots" she muttered under her breath.

"Oh! We have _something_ standing next to us, I see," Malfoy exclaimed dramatically, "I wonder what _it _could be…"

"Some sort of red haired rabbit, perhaps?" I brave lad offered up as a suggestion to Scorpios.

"Hmmm… not _quite _a rabbit. More like a giant, fat mouse," Malfoy said starring at Rose as if she were a portrait he disliked in an art gallery.

"I can't see her. I mean _it. _Sike, your bloody head is in the way!" another boy shouted, craning to get a view of Rose.

"Sit down, fat mouse," Scorpius commanded, pulling Rose into the empty bench space beside him. "On second thought, a closer view reveals a rat, my mistake for calling you a mouse."

"Ooooh! I have pet rat!" the boy named Sike piped up.

Rose was about to slap Scorpius when a better idea crossed her mind, she'd probably slap the Scorp later in detection anyway.

"What would the Grayback siblings think of me?" Rose inquired carefully.

"Hmmm, they'd probably think you'd make a nice side dish with their tea," Scorpius replied.

"Oh, so they're dangerous then?"

"Oh! Loads dangerous! Iontach already ripped off a third year Slytherin's neck!"

"What? No way!" Sike said, his face eager for more, "I thought he only ripped his bead curtains to pieces!"

"Shut up!" Scorpius spat at him and Sike starred bashfully at his fork.

"I've heard that he wanders around the castle at night, waiting for any misfortunate student to become his next midnight snack!" Malfoy eagerly told Rose, the light in his blue eyes flickering with an evil light. Rose laughed.

"Come on Scorpius, we're going to be late for detention!"

Rose stood up dragging a confused Malfoy behind her.

**meanwhile…**

"Bloody, barking, biting blazes!" Will swore after the nurse gave him a potion to come to from his shock.

"Rose actually talked to the Scorp!" Will shouted, his hands shooting up to hold his head steady, his eyes wide.

"Aye, she's gone completely bonkers!" Al agreed.

The nurse had removed his glass shard and healed up his wound. He spent the last five minutes poring over his dad's letter, taking in each and every word, filled with utter confusion, while the nurse tried different potions to awake Will from his gazed state.

"What's that?" Will asked pointing at Al's letter.

"It's from my dad."

"Did he tell you about the defeating the dark lord stuff?"

"He told me to go to McGonigall and something about memories…"

"Well, what the gravy are we still doing here? Come on!"

Will sprinted out of the hospital wing with Al left running after him.

"Hey! Wait up!" Al huffed, gasping for breath. Will was as dead fast runner.

"Well, catch up then!" Will grinned over his shoulder, gave a laugh, and ran even faster.

Albus was panting like a dog by the time they reached McGonigall's door and Will didn't even break a sweat. Al glared and Will laughed and slapped Al on the back.

"I've been itching to run through the halls for days now!"

"Why in the world would anyone want to do that?"

"It's fun running, really running, through interesting places."

"We've already run to class a few times though!"

"Aye, but it's not the same running on a time limit."

"Right, time limits…" Al muttered, still not understanding.

"What is this?" Will asked casting a glance at a huge bronz bird. "And how in the blazes are we going to reach that door way up at the celling?"

"We need a password, or perhaps we can just wait out here for her to come around."

Al desperately wanted more time to catch his breath. He wanted more time to build up the courage to face whatever his dad had to tell him. He wanted time to think about the Greyback' sudden kindness. What in the world was happening? "_Time" _Al thought, _"yuck."_


	12. The Pensieve

**Chapter VII**

**The Pensieve **

"What the blazes were you thinking?" Scorpius hissed, shaking Rose's hand off his arm. "You had absolutely no right to pull me away from my group!"

Rose and Scorpius were walking down the hall to McGonigall's office, the halls were strangely silent as their footsteps fell.

"We're already late," Rose said bluntly, not even glancing at Scorpius.

"Late. You pulled me away because you're _late_." Scorpius seethed through his teeth, pronouncing each syllable carefully. "I can't believe it."

"Have I offended you in some way?" Rose asked sarcastically.

"Oh no, not at all," Scorpius mimicked, "You just totally and completely ruined my popular status!"

"Ah, so sorry. Didn't know you considered your self admired," Rose stated smugly. She was enjoying this immensely. Which was strange, because she was never rude to perfect strangers.

Scorpius clenched his fists and his cheeks burnt with anger, "YOU FOUL, LITTLE, STUCK UP, KNOW-IT-ALL, YOU… YOU!

Rose turned icy. Before, all of Scorpius' comments didn't hurt… they were just plain stupid and they were easy to ignore. This one stuck home though. Perhaps she did pretend to be a know-it-all… occasionally. But she wasn't wasn't foul, little, or stuck up!

"You prick!" She spat as she whipped around to face Scorpius and his wicked grin, flourishing out her wand and pushing the tip into his pointy nose.

"Don't you ever, EVER, call me that again!" Rose hissed through her teeth.

For a second, Scorpius genuinely looked horrified. Then he gave a little smile.

"Or you'll do what? Turn me into a toad? Give me purple splotches? What? You're not allowed to harm me… unless you're keen on getting detention."

"I. Will. Make. Your. Life. Miserable."

And with that Rose shoved Scorpius in the chest and shouted "Hurry up!"

**Meanwhile…**

"Mr. Potter," Al heard from directly behind him. He turned around to find Professor McGonigall perched over his shoulder.

"I've been expecting you," McGonigall explained and lead them up to her office by way of the Bird lifting them to the door.

Will and Al's eye's flew open with amazement. There were exotic birds flying about the ceiling, cat's crawling beneath their feet, cupboards lined with magical instruments and gadgets, and along the wall hung the proud portraits of each headmaster. Al's eyes drifted to the latest portraits: one of an elderly man with a long, flowing, snowy white beard who was giving him a smile, and the newest a of handsome, but seveer looking man dressed completely in black who was giving him an elegant bow.

"Ah," McGonigall smiled, following Al's gaze "it appears you have found the late Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape."

"Those are the men I'm named after?"

"Yes, indeed. But that's not why I have brought you here."

McGonigall stepped over to what appeared to be a bird bath and pored something into it.

"Come here Albus. This is called a pensieve. It let's one view memories. Today you will be watching all of you father's memories."

"May Will come too?"

"If you'd like."

The two boys stepped closer to the pensive and felt a sudden tugging as they touched the water. Moments later they were falling into what appeared to be a common cooky-cutter English suburb and went right through the roof of one of the houses and into a cupboard under the stairs. Once Will and Al caught their breath, they noticed another boy there with very messy, jet black heir, but his back was turned to them.

"Pardon us…" Al began to say, still very shocked from the fall, but then a huge thumping noise from above them sounded.

The boy with the messy black hair whirled around, just as a voice above them called with extra thumping "Harry! Wake up Harry! It's my birthday! We're going to the zoo!"

Al dropped to his knees, his father as a boy his age was starring right through him.

Al sputtered "that's… that's my… that's…"

"Are you alright?" Will asked, pulling Albus up.

"That's my father," Al gasped.

"Then it's true!These are your fathers memories."

"Aye."

The two boys watched Harry go to the zoo, talk with the snake, receive his first Hogwarts letter and denied to read it, and everything of importance up to the end of the battle of Hogwarts. By the end, Al was shaking violently as tears spilled down his cheeks. Even Will was in total awe.

"Wow! Your dad is amazing!"

"Yes, he really is. But, I feel like I barely know him know. Why did he keep all that a secret?"

"Well, it makes sense really. He didn't want you to have to grow up as the son of a world famous hero. He wanted you to grow up as the son of just Harry Potter."

"You're right," Al whispered, suddenly feeling relief, but still quite shaken.


	13. Rose and Scorpius

**Chapter XIII**

**Rose and Scorpius**

Scorpius was slouching against the side of the wall outside of McGonigall's transfiguration classroom, staring moodily down at his his green and silver tie. Rose was pacing back and forth, her long, wavy, red hair whipping into her face as she turned around and around, checking her watch every 20 seconds. McGonigall was five minutes late, and she was starting to feel uncomfortable in the presence of an angry Slytherin.

"Professor McGonigall is late," Rose finally remarked, trying to break the icy silence between herself and Scorpius.

"Well, obviously," Scorpius sarcastically said, rolling his eyes an went back to twisting his tie around his fingers.

"What do you think of Slytherins?" Scorpius asked, not taking his eyes off his tie.

"What do you mean?" Rose stopped pacing the floor and looked back at Scorpius.

"Exactly what I said: What do you think of Slytherins?"

"Well, to be quite frank, I think the lot of you are mean and rude."

"Interesting…" Scorpius mumbled, "So, what makes you say that?"

"Well, you're a perfect example really. Why else would I be stuck in detention with you?" Rose spat back. She was getting nervous though, surely her remarks would make Scorpius' blood boil?

"Do you know any good qualities of a Slytherin?"

"None. Most of you seem to turn out as a bad sort of lot, no?"

"Haha, I must disagree with you there."

"Yeah, then why have most of the bad wizards come from Slytherin?"

"They didn't play up to their education of being in Slytherin."

"I could say the same for you."

"No, you can't. You don't know the first thing about me," Scorpius whispered quietly.

"Really? LIke you're a stupid, rude bully?"

Scorpius gave a sad smile at this, "I want to see if you actually are a know-it-all: name a good Slytherin, I'm sure you've read about quite a few."

"Why would I waste my time reading about Slytherins?"

"So you're telling me you've never heard of a good Slytherin?"

"Never."

"So sorry I called you a know-it-all earlier. You're not."

"So whose your good Slytherin then?" Rose rolled her eyes.

"Have you heard of Sherlock Holmes?"

"Of course, but he's a fictional muggle."

Scorpius chuckled, "Very sly to maintain that disguise till this very day, aye?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Holmes and his Dr. Watson were both wizards. Holmes was, in fact, a Slytherin. It fit's, doesn't it? He was a sly, cunning, sleuth who solved cases for both muggles and beings with magic."

"What house was Dr. Watson in then?"

"Gryffindor, for being a loyal and brave friend. Back then a Gryffindor and Slytherin together were unbeatable. Today, they bite their heads off," Scorpius said with a grin.

"What's you point?" Rose asked. She was so confused. She loved to read stories of Sherlock Holmes, she even admired the man. But, she'd also always believed that every last Slytherin was rotten.

"What do you think the best house is, Ms. Weasley?"

"Gryffindor, of course!"

"Yes, bravery and loyalty. But, I don't think I'd say it was the best house."

"Yeah? Then what do you think the best house is then? Slytherin?"

"No, actually. Slytherin is great for realizing how to deal with reality and become strong in bad situations, but my vote would actually go to Hufflepuff."

"What? Hufflepuff? No way!" Rose said trying not to laugh. Did the Scorp really just claim his favorite house was Hufflepuff?

"You find that amusing?" Scorpius smiled and gave laugh. "I do too. But it's true. Hufflepuff is the best of us all, really!"

Rose was laughing hard now. This could not be happening.

"Why do you say so?" Rose chuckled, "Isn't Hufflepuff just for those who don't fit in any other house?"

"No. They're more than that… they could fit in every house if they tried."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, most have a fair level of all good qualities of a Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin… and more. They learn when and how to use the qualities of our houses and they learn how to be modest and humble about it without getting on our nerves."

"That's crazy!"

"Yes, but it's true. A Hufflepuff may not get as good as grades as a Ravenclaw on a test, but after that test, most will study like crazy to understand the material that they didn't understand before. Also, a Hufflepuff may not be as brave as a Gryffindor on a daily basis, but when the time comes, they'll stand up for what is right without backing away."

"Really?"

"It's true," Scorpius said spreading his hands out with a look of _who would have known_.

"That's crazy! Wouldn't it be obvious though?"

"No, Hufflepuffs don't tend to brag about themselves. They're modest and stay relatively humble about their accomplishments… most do, at lest."

"Why are you like this all of the sudden?"

"Like what?" Scorpius asked, his eyebrows shooting up in a quizzical expression.

"I don't know… normal?"

"Define normal?"

"I mean… you know… a rude bully."

Scorpius laughed. "Miss Weasley, that's all part of the game of being a Slytherin. At least a first year Slytherin…"

"I don't understand."

"It's quite simple really. You, being a Gryffindor, will grow up learning to support and stand up for you fellow classmates. Me, being a Slytherin, will learn how to deal with being in a constant contest of popularity and how to deal with being bullied… alone."

"OK. But why do you have to harm people, like Burt, in the process?"

"For one, it's not that that's really who I am. But, it's survival of the fittest, no? Besides, that's the only way first year Slytherins are expected to gain attention. You have to play the game, and you have to play it with style. Second reason, most Slytherins are 'bullies' without playing the game. It's all part of being able to see how far we're able to push people's emotions. And thirdly, it gives you Gryffindors some practice at standing up against intimidating people, no?" Scorpius explained with a wicked smile.

Rose stood there dumbfounded. It was awful, but it made sense.

"That's completely bonkers!" Rose whispered.

"Haha, yes. But it makes sense, no?"

"It does. That's what scares me… it's still pure awful though."

"Life can be."

"Ah! Mr. Malfoy and Miss Weasley. So sorry I'm running a bit late. Follow me please," McGonigall directed as she rushed towards them.

"Miss Weasley," Scorpius whispered quickly before McGonigal was earshot, "you do realize I will have to behave accordingly…"

"As a Slytherin?"

"Yes."

"Detention should be fun then."

"Indeed!" Scorpius flashed one last smile. Then he stuck his nose in the air, rolled his eyes at Rose, an strode past her with a superior air.

Rose grinned.

**Hello everyone! Thank you for reading! Sorry this chapter didn't have much action, I really wanted to have a good chapter of just Rose and Scorpius dialogue. Action will be present during their detention! ;) I'm a bit stuck on what to do with Albus and Will, but I have have a few ideas.**

**Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW! I've had zero reviews since I came back to finish this. I'm a little despondent. Let me know if you're interested in my story at all, or if I should even bother finishing it.**


	14. Teddy's Secret

**Chapter XIV**

**Teddy's Secret**

Al and Will were strolling down the hall on their way back to the Gryffindor House. Will chatted endlessly about all the amazing things Al's father did while Al listened silently. Al agreed that it was amazing, but he still felt betrayed somehow. Will finally noticed that Al wasn't eager about the subject.

"Well, this week should be exciting!" Will exclaimed turning the topic around.

"What do you mean?" Al looked up at Will for the first time since they got out of the pensive.

"You know… the new elective classes that the first years get to try out."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

For the first time ever, first years would be given a whole week to try out new elective classes along with a few standard classes. Then they would have the option of choosing two electives and their class schedule would go back to normal.

"What's on our schedule again?" Al asked.

Will pulled out a sheet of crumpled paper from his pocket and read: "On Monday we have potions and our elective is called art and magic; on Tuesday we have flying lessons and our elective is languages of magic; then on Wednesday we have DADA with the elective of music and magic, on thursday we have transfiguration with elective choice cooking and magic; and finally on Friday we have magical creatures and…" Will paused glancing at Al and burst out laughing "knitting and sewing with magic: the art of fashion in the wizarding world!"

"What? We have to take a knitting/fashion class? You've got to be joking!" Al burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"No joke! It's all right here!" Will waved the paper above his head.

"Oh Merlin! I bet my grandmother will burst with joy if I knit her scarf or or something!" Al chuckled.

The boys continued to walk down the hall, joyfully talking about the new classes.

"Which class do you think you'll continue with?" All asked Will.

"Hmmm… is that really a question?" Will said with a sly grin and chuckle, "you know my life's dream is knit and make cute little hats and…"

"No! Seriously though!" Al laughed, "which would you choose?"

"Well, art has always been…" Will began but was abruptly cut off as they collided with a student whose face was hidden beneath a hood.

Glasses of potions slipped from underneath the student's robes.

As fast as lightning, Al drew his wand and said wingardium leviosa in his mind with a quick swish and flick of his wand. The potions soared right back into the air.

"Blimey, Al! It's you!" The student spoke, throwing back his hood to reveal the shocked face of Teddy Lupin.

"Oh, Teddy!" Al cried, delighted.

"Great Scott, Al! Are you levitating my potions… without even saying the charms name?" Teddy asked, surprised, as he gingerly picked each bottle out of the air and concealed them back in his robe.

"Yes… one of the only things that I can do."

"What are the potions for?" Will asked casually.

Teddy's face paled and he whispered, "Come. Let's not talk here."

Teddy led them past the Gryffindor House and up a flight of stairs to the third floor. Statues of grim and angry men covered in cobwebs lined the windowless corder.

"This place looks familiar…" Al whispered.

"Aye! Look at that statue, Al. It reminds me of the one outside of the door with the three headed dogs that you're dad escaped," Will whispered back.

"That's because it is," Teddy replied glancing back at Al and suddenly scooping him up in a hug.

"I'm so sorry you had to wait all these years to find out, but it is better this way. Trust me," Teddy said releasing a teary eyed Al from the hug.

"Thanks Teddy," Al managed to say without his voice cracking.

"So…" Will interrupted, his blue eyes flashing back and forth at the creepy statues, "what are we doing here?"

"Oh, right!" Teddy exclaimed, snapping back to reality.

Teddy walked over to to a statue of a man bent down in agony with an outstretched hand. All the fingers on the hand were closed in a fist except the pointer finger, which was curved outwards, in a gesture as if beckoning someone to come closer. Teddy grabbed the statue's hand, muttered something unintelligible under his breath, and broke the finger off.

The statue began to shake violently and suddenly, the eyelids which had been shut tight opened wide in fear. Al gasped and Will stumbled a step back. a strait crack began to travel down it's face, splitting the statue in two. Then slowly, the two halves separated, revealing a trap door in the floor. Teddy put the statue's finger in his pocket, opened the door, and motioned for Will and Al to follow.

"Blimey, Teddy! Where are we going?" Al asked trying not to tumble into anything in the pitch black darkness.

"Feueriskie!" Teddy shouted with a flick of his wand. "Welcome to my lab."

Torches on either side of the windowless room lit up, revealing a great work table with dozens of books and potions scattered across it. At the opposite end of the room was a huge cauldron, black smoke was rising from it. There were other smaller cauldrons in the corners of the room brewing something too.

"You have you're own lab?" Will asked, wide-eyed.

"Well…" Teddy replied, shifting uncomfortably from toe to toe while he started to stack even more potions onto his table,"… this isn't exactly supposed to be for me. But, it's abandoned and nobody uses it, or even comes down here anymore. It's sort of a secret room."

"Where did you get all these potions?" Al asked in awe.

Teddy blushed, "I promise, I really did find some of these on my own in the Forbidden forest, but I have been taking small amounts from Slughorne's cabinet…"

"You've been stealing?" Al gasped.

"More or less," Teddy said with a bashful smile. "But you understand why, don't you?"

"For the luck potion?" Will asked.

"Yes, but more than that. The luck potion will take years to make. In the meantime though I'm making… other potions." Teddy explained while he began to work on mixing different potions together and poring them into the cauldron.

"So what are you making then?" Al asked, his eyes sting from the black smoke.

"Oh, um…just a little transformation potion… nothing to big," Teddy said shrugging his shoulders.

"Teddy," Al said with a smile, "I know you well enough to tell when you're lying."

Teddy stopped stirring the potion and turned to face Al and Will with a grave face.

"You know that my father was bitten by Fenrir Grayback now, yes?"

Will and Al nodded.

"Greyback was a complete lunatic. He wanted revenge and to turn innocent muggles, wizards, and witches into beasts like himself. Voldemort gave him that chance and he took it. Of course he knew Voldemort's true feelings for him, but Voldemort gave Grayback the chance to be the monster that he truly was. He started biting children… and having children of his own, something that werewolves rarely due… and raised them to hate the wizarding world. Now, they've grown more and more, aliening themselves to other dark beings who wish to 'be themselves' , something which would normally land them in a cell at Azakaban. They want to be treated as equals, but how can that be if they want to act as monsters at the same time?"

"But, you're dad was a werewolf and he wasn't a monster," Al said.

"No, he wasn't a monster. My dad faced who he was and lived with dignity about it. It's unfortunate not everyone treated him as an equal."

"So then not all dark creatures are bad, necessarily."

"No, not all of them. But most of them are being persuaded to join and fight for their right of acceptance in the wizarding society."

"Am I the only one here who doesn't see why that's a problem? Why shouldn't they be accepted?" Will piped up.

"Because they no longer want to hide from the urge to bite and kill, along with being accepted in society."

"Isn't there a potion of something that keeps them with there… er… human minds?" Will asked.

"Wolfsbane only prevents werewolves from mindlessly ripping their best friends to pieces. If they're left alone though, they generally tend to attack themselves for being who they are… if they are in the presence of other animals though, it distracts them from attacking themselves, and since they only attack humans, the animals are perfectly safe. That's what happened with you're grandfather and my dad," Teddy explained.

"What of the Graybacks that are here? Do you think they're spies?" Will asked.

"Of course they're spies! They've been raised to hate us, so why else would they come?"

"Well, maybe they really do want to become wizards and witches…" Al added.

"Aye, that they do! The werewolves need all the magic they can get right now, even if they hate wizards. "

"But what if they don't want to be werewolves?"

"Al! They were raised for the sole purpose of becoming proud of being a werewolf. The Grayback children have never tasted wolfsbane before, Fenrir Grayback won't allow it."

Teddy was becoming extremely upset and began chopping up some root with gusto.

"Ok… but what's the potion?" Al asked.

Teddy sighed, "You two swear never to tell anyone?"

"What about Rose and my dad?" Al asked.

"Especially not your dad! And don't tell Rose, she might feel the need to tell her parents too."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Do you swear?" Teddy demanded.

Will and Al agreed.

"OK," Teddy took a deep breath and quickly blurted out, "I'm going to try to become animagus!"

"Teddy! It's dangerous though! And illegal if you don't have permission from the Ministry!"

"I know! I know! But you promised not to tell!"

"OK! We won't tell. But I don't want you to get hurt in the process."

"I won't, potions are kind of my thing," Teddy said giving the worried Albus a smile.

"So you think being animagus will give you an edge while fighting?" Will asked.

"Yes, even if I turn into a bumble bee!"

"You'd make a great bumble bee!" Al laughed.

"Why thank you!" Teddy bowed and Will and Al smiled.

Teddy finished up mixing his potion and led the two back out of his secret lab. Teddy then placed the finger back on the statue's hand an the statue closed back together, it's eyes closing, and cobwebs falling all over it.

"So you two promise to keep this between ourselves?" Teddy asked one last time as they walked back to the Gryffindor House.

"Yes!" Will and Al said at the same time.

"Good, because I'll need some help during the transforming process."

"Which will be?" Will asked nervously.

"At the end of the week."

**Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed that chapter, even if it was a bit dark. PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! And let me know what you liked or didn't like.**

**And to my one reviewer, Hillary, I can' t thank you enough for your feedback… this whole chapter was pretty much inspired by your review! So, thank you so, so much! It meant an awful lot for me to know that someone enjoys reading my story. And to answer you're question about the creepy DADA teacher, that will be answered hopefully in the next chapter. Once again, thank you for the food for thought… without your review I think I'd still be pondering on what to write next. So, even though devoting chapters probably doesn't mean a whole lot coming from me, I'm devoting this chapter and the next to you! So…**

**This chapter is devoted to Hillary for her inspiring review. :)**


	15. Detention

**Chapter XV**

**Detention**

"Ugh!" Scorpius grunted as a black wad of dust came off the Quiddich Trophy of 993 that he was polishing. "This is so humiliating! I can't believe _I_, of all people, have to _clean_ this worthless junk, _especially_ without magic!"

"This actually isn't so bad," Rose muttered, vigorously scrubbing each trophy clean while Scorpius slowly wiped some of the dust off his second trophy. Rose had already cleaned 17 trophies.

"Not so bad?" Scorpius exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock, "this is bloody awful! Of course, one would expect a Weasley to know all about cleaning the muggle way."

Rose rolled her eyes, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Scorpius grunted and took up his third trophy, sighing when he looked down the long hall of trophy-lined cabinets and grumbled, "It wasn't meant to be a complement."

Rose shrugged. Even though she knew Scorpius was only acting the part of a Slytherin, it was still annoying.

"Well, I thought our punishment was going to be much, much worse," Rose said while putting all the trophies back into the first cabinet.

"Stinging seagulls, Rose! You just finished the first cabinet!"

"Mmm," Rose nodded like it was no big deal, "but I still have 49 ceiling high cabinets to go."

Eyeing Scorpius' fifth semi-clean trophy in his hand, Rose smiled and said with a laugh, "And you still have 50 cabinets to go."

"Hey! I'm halfway finished with my first cabinet!"

"Um, Scorpius? Each cabinet has about 50 trophies in it… you're not even nearly halfway done with you're first cabinet."

"Gah!" Scorpius spat while moodily eyeing his trophy and rag. How did you finish so fast then?"

"Well, you actually have to put some pressure on it while rubbing…"

Scorpius heaved a heavy sigh and followed Rose's instruction. To his surprise, most of the dust and grime came off.

"Whoa!" Scorpius exclaimed with a smile, holding up the trophy to show Rose.

Rose grinned and continued working.

After some silence Scorpius asked, "what did you mean when you said you expected worse?"

"Well, my mum told me that the first time she had detention, she had to go into the Forbidden Forest to search for something for Hagrid."

"But, isn't it dangerous in there?" Scorpius said, alarmed.

"I've already been…"

"What! You've been in **the Forbidden Forest**! Are you out of your mind? Why would you do that?" Scorpius shouted, waving his rag in the air, dust and dirt falling off of it and onto his face.

"Well, I didn't go there on purpose… at least I don't think I did?"

"What on earth do you mean?"

"It was almost like I couldn't control were I was going… I was kind of dazed. When I came back to reality, I was in the middle of the forest."

"Huh, did you ever find out who did it?"

"Who did what?" Rose asked confused.

"_Who did what_?" Scorpius rolled his eyes, mimicking Rose. "Well obviously someone used magic on you. Nobody in their right minds becomes tired and dazed and says 'Oh goody! I think I fancy a stroll through the Forbidden Forest! Who know's? Maybe I'll end up as some kind, giant grasshopper's dessert! Wouldn't that be just lovely?'… But then again, you are a Weasley…"

"You think someone controlled me?" Rose asked astonished, "but why would someone do that?"

"I don't know…" Scorpius whispered, itching his nose and thus smearing dirt across his cheek.

"Nearly done!" Rose exclaimed as she opened her tenth to last cabinet, "who knew so many quidditch games were played at Hogwarts, not to mention all the house cups?"

Scorpius looked down at the trophy in his hands and read the inscription.

"Rose?" Scorpius breathed while his face turned ash white, "this one isn't quidditch, a house cup, or a triwizard tournament…"

"What else is there to award a trophy for?"

"In the memory of…" Scorpius gulped.

"So they've given trophies to students who did something good, or won a kind contest?"

Scorpius looked sick.

"Are you OK?" Rose asked, noticing the trophy shaking in Scorpius' hand.

"In memory of Colin Creevey for dying with bravery in the battle of Hogwarts… Rose, this whole cabinet is devoted to the students that were killed!"

"Students killed at Hogwarts? When was this?" Rose asked a bit frightened.

Scorpius starred at her disbelievingly.

"In all those books you've read, you've never come across the Battle of Hogwarts? The battle our parents fought in? You know, The battle were your uncle Mr. Potter saved my dad and destroyed You-Know-Who?"

Rose felt embarrassed, "um, no."

The trophy clattered on the floor as Scorpius stood stunned.

"It's true then? My dad told me that the Potter and Weasley children weren't allowed to know what happened until they came to Hogwarts… something about avoiding publicity… but I didn't think you'd be completely and totally ignorant of it all!"

"How come everyone's been acting like…" Rose began, but was cut off by Scorpius.

"Rose! Come look at this!" Scorpius held out a trophy to Rose.

"In memory of Eithne Speirling for dying with bravery in the battle of Hogwarts," Rose read.

"Could it be a Speirling as in Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Speirling?"

"She didn't die with bravery…" a deep voice echoed behind them.

Rose and Scorpius slowly turned to face Professor Speirling lurking in the shadows.

"Sir?" Rose dared ask.

"She didn't die with bravery…" Speirling whispered again in a far off voice and hurriedly strode away through the shadows, leaving Rose cold.

"Well, that was pleasant." Rose said as she turned to face Scorpius.

Scorpius' face was struck with disbelieving terror.

"Rose, don't move…"

But it was too late, Rose had already whipped her head around. She had a quick glimpse of a ghost and the next thing she new, a think layer of garbage was sprayed all over her.

"Ugh!" Rose gasped as she wiped a banana peel off her eyes.

Scorpius was spitting out something slimy onto the floor, Rose didn't want to know what that was.

"Hehehe! Peeves has slimed the detetionies!" The ghost chanted merrily while throwing more garbage at all the trophies that took hours for them to clean.

"You have got to be joking!" Scorpius gasped, enraged.

"Hehehe!" The ghost laughed.

"How could you dishonor your fellow dead?" Scorpius shouted at Peeves, waving one of the trophies in the air.

"Uh-oh!" Peeves said an evil crackle, "Eithne Speirling won't be happy! Hehehe! No indeed she won't be happy!" Peeves fled.

"I don't like the sound of that," Scorpius muttered while trying to rub something green off his face.

"**NOOOOOOOOOOOO INDEEEEEEEEEEEED!**!" an ear-splitting scream filled the air.

Rose felt like a brick wall passed through her and fell to the ground in astonishment.

"Let me go!" Scorpius commanded.

A ghost with a Hogwart's uniform was dangling Scorpius in the air, her hands clenched tightly around his throat.

"You **DARE** to **SOIL** my trophy?" the ghost shrieked.

"It.. wasn't… me!" Scorpius said through gasps.

"Let him go!" Rose cried.

Eithne let Scorpius drop to the ground where he landed with a hard thud and spun to Rose.

"My trophy is **SOILED**!" Eithne cried.

Rose was pretty sure the whole school would've been able to hear that.

"We'll clean it for you."

Rose felt cold air tighten around her neck as her feet left the ground. Eithne soared out of the trophy hall and into the adding hall with cathedral high ceilings. Rose looked down and saw Scorpius run after her, except he looked like he was the size of an ant from the hight she was at.

"Listen…" Rose tried to reason.

"You listen to **MEEEEEEE**!" Eithne howled, flaying Rose in the air.

Rose felt her heart race uncontrollably. She hated hights. When she was five her dad had taken her on a broom ride with him and she'd cried the whole way, even though the broom was barely off the ground. She didn't mind being up high in a tower though, as long as her feet were on something firm.

"Anyone who** DARES** touch **MY** trophy will be punished!" Eithne hissed centimeters away from Rose's face. Eithne's short, light hair stuck out on all sides as if she were underwater. Needless to say, the effect was frightening.

"We're so sorry…" Rose tried to apologize.

"Hahaha," Eithne crackled with a wicked laugh, "yes, you will be **SORRY**!"

Rose felt the coldness leave her neck and a gush of wind slap her body. She was falling and she couldn't even scream.

"Wingardium leviosa!" She heard Scorpius shout and watched as a bench from along the hall floated up to meet her halfway through her fall. Her body slammed into it and she grunted as she felt one of her ribs crack from the impact. The wingardium leviosa charm wasn't strong enough to hold her though. She met Scorpius' terror filled, gray eyes as he struggled to hold the charm. Seconds later the breathless feeling of falling overcame her again.

"Kick the bench away!" Scorpius shouted to her.

Rose saw that the bench would fall on Scorpius if she didn't push it. Her leg gave it a kick and a split second later the bench splintered to pieces and Scorpius briefly caught Rose in his arms before falling over from the impact.

"You OK, Rose?" she heard Scorpius gasp.

She felt like she might pass out from the pain any second, her vision was starting to darken as she stared up at Scorpius' face. Something caught the corner of her eye, Eithne had one of the larger trophies raised in her hand, ready to throw at them.

Rose pointed at the ghost and gave a little gasp. Scorpius followed Rose's eye's and flung the two of them out of the way just as the object was hurled at them.

"**Eithne**!" The low voice of Professor Speirling boomed across the hall.

Eithne froze in terror and disappeared through the wall.

"No! Eithne, wait! I wan't to forgive you…" Speirling shouted desperately and sighed sadly when she was gone.

The last Rose remembered seeing before everything going black was Speirling's great black robes folding over her like giant black wings and Scorpius' face with a look of pure concern and fright.

**Thank you for reading! Hope that chapter had a little bit more action in it. Please help me get better by giving me some feedback. Thank you!**

**And again, this chapter is devoted to Hillary for inspiring this chapter.**

**-I didn't answer you're questing yet about why the DADA teacher is so creepy, but I'm leading up to it.**


	16. A Friendship is Formed

**Chapter XVI**

**A Friendship is Formed**

Albus and Will sat in the hospital wing watching Rose's hair burn bright red as the sunlight rose through the window. Will had his head propped upon his hand as he bent over in his chair, trying to stay awake. Will an Albus had been pretty much up all night, madame Pomfrey had to kick them out of the hospital wing the previous night and they had returned at the earliest hour possible. The two of them had too much on their mind and were unable to sleep anyway. Albus felt a brotherly instinct to protect Rose, they'd been friends since the moment they were born and he felt a great dislike for the Scorp at the moment for not taking care of his cousin while on detention. It was the Scorp's fault Rose had detention in the first place, and she didn't even deserve it.

Rose stirred a little bit in her sleep. Al knew that her cracked rib had been healed almost instantaneously, but the pain would still be there. Al watched as his cousin opened her big, brown eyes and gave a smile.

"Good morning, Rose!" Al sang cheerfully.

Rose looked confused as she took in the sight of the hospital wing flooded with the morning's orange light.

"Oh…" she gave a little sigh when she realized where she must be.

"How do you feel?" Will asked.

"Um, my chest hurts a bit, but other than that I feel fine," Rose said while she slowly sat up in her bed.

"It seems you've been on quite an adventure!" Will remarked, "the whole school has been talking about how the erie Eithne broke the laws by trying to kill you…"

"And how the Scorp saved you, sort of…" Al added grudgingly.

Even if the Scorp did save his Rose, he didn't do a very good job at it.

"Scorpius! How's he? Is he alright?" Rose franticly asked, a look of concern flashing in her eyes.

Al didn't like the way she reacted, was his cousin concerned about the rude Slytherin who landed her in detention?

"Yeah, he's fine," Al replied, lifting his thick eyebrows and giving his cousin a look saying _explain more._

"Al!" Rose laughed, interpreting her cousins look, "Scorpius saved my life! And I though he might have been hurt too…"

"No, he was given a potion for bruising and was good to go."

Rose looked relieved, which made Al even more angry.

"So what's going to happen to Eithne?" Rose asked while taking a bite of toast that madame Pomfrey brought over to her.

"Well, that's the problem…" Will began with a grimace.

"What do you mean?" The toast in Rose's mouth suddenly tasted dry. "She is under some kind of surveillance right?"

"Normally she'd be facing the Ministry of Magic for attempted murder," Al sighed, trying to bring the hard news to his cousin gently, "but she's disappeared. She's been summoned, but refuses to appear."

Rose gasped, the thought of that lunatic ghost still on the loose made her shiver.

Al noticed how frighted Rose became and hastily added "Don't worry though. She's no longer on Hogwarts grounds, otherwise McGonigall could use magic and force her to appear. Besides, none of the other ghosts have seen her around."

Rose nodded her head, but she still felt frightened. The feeling of Eithne's cold, air-tight grasp around her neck, and the fiery light that simmered in her eyes as she let Rose drop still burned crystal clear in her memory. There was also something else that bothered her: Professor Speirling's statement about forgiving the ghost. Why on earth would he instantly forgive that ghost for almost murdering her? It was an uncomfortable thought, and she could see the worry bubble in her cousin's green eyes.

Rose gave a fake smile and asked "what classes do we have today?"

WiIl's face lighted up instantly and blurted out "we have art and magic! It's going to be amazing! I bet we'll learn how to make objects move! Oh, do you think we'll learn how to make portraits talk?"

Al laughed, Will had been looking forward to this class since they received their schedules. Will was always doodling on his notes in class. In fact, most of his doodle's were amazing, the shading was almost so real that it looked like magic had been used to capture the dimensions of light.

"Yes Will, I think that's the whole purpose of the class," Al said with a grin.

Rose rolled her eyes, "art and magic sounds good and all, but it won't be very helpful to me later on in life."

"Awe, it's only one class, Rose…" Al nudged Rose playfully.

"Well, it does sound interesting," Rose gave in grudgingly, "what what core class do we have with it?"

"That would be potions in the dungeons with Professor Slughorne," Will said as if he'd been talking about cleaning the bathrooms.

"Well, I think it sounds fascinating!" Rose exclaimed waking Will lightly over the head with her toast.

Will laughed. "Well, if you think it sounds that fascinating, you might want to hurry up eating."

"Oh, and why?" Rose said with a squeamish feeling in her stomach.

"Um, we'll be late in five minutes…"

"FIVE MINUTES?" Rose screeched, shoving the rest of her toast down her throughout, "what time is the class at?"

"Gryffindors and Slytherins have the earliest slot at 7 o'clock."

"Merlin's beard!" Rose looked like she might have a heart attack. "Where's my uniform?"

Al threw Rose her robes and the two boys waited in the hall for Rose, who came running out with her shoes, tie, and cloak in hand and her long red hair twisting every direction.

"You sure you're ready?" Al smiled with a raised eyebrow.

Rose didn't reply and was already racing ahead of them.

The three tumbled into Slughorne's class out of breath and ten minutes late.

"We're so sorry we're late!" Rose huffed.

"Ah, you must be Rose Weasley!" Slughorne exclaimed, delighted, "you're mother is a personal friend of mine and I was filled with the greatest concern when I heard your misadventure! Ah! And this must be Mr. Potter?" Slughorne turned to Al, "your parents are good friends of mine too. You're the spitting image of your father! Alas, class must continue, we have three seats left." Slughorne motioned to the empty seats.

There was an empty table in the back with two seats and a table in the front with one seat left. Rose walked to the front of the class and Al and Will took the back.

"Hello!" Rose greeted her fellow potions partner as she approached, not really looking at him though because she was reading the directions on the board.

"Uh… hello... MIss Weasley," the familiar voice of Scorpius Malfoy shyly rang out.

"Oh! Scorpius!" Rose smiled at him.

Scorpius refused to make eye contact and bashfully cleared his throat and explained the directions to Rose… as if she didn't know them already. Rose was a little taken aback; he had saved her after all. Then again, the two of them were getting strange glares from the Slytherins and confused looks from the Gryffindors.

"How come you don't have a partner already?" Rose asked as she plopped a drop of moon dew into the potion.

Scorpius laughed dryly, "it's hard enough being popular if your parents were death eaters… However, saving a Gryffindor apparently lands you an instant ticket as the loser of Slytherin."

"Oh…" an actual feeling of pity for the boy rising in her, "I'm sorry…"

Scorpius laughed, "Sorry? Don't be! You're not splattered on the floor because of me."

Rose blushed, "I know… I mean thanks for saving me."

Why was it suddenly hard to think straight?

"I'd hope you'd have done the same for me," Scorpius replied with a casual shrug and added three drops of willow's core to the potion.

"Of course!" Rose practically shouted, furiously stirring the potion, "I just don't understand why you' saving me makes you so unpopular?"

"Rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin… apparently it's cool to let the enemy die."

"That's disgusting!"

"Funny thing is, if it wasn't for my dad's long lectures… I might of been just like the lot of them: empty headed and filled with arrogant pride, " Scorpius tilted his head towards the Slytherins.

"Oh, and what did your dad tell you?"

"Rose!"

"He told you my name?"

"No, I mean your about to set the willows' cores on fire… you're stirring too hard!"

"Oh, right."

Scorpius gabbed the mixer from Rose's hand and Rose blushed deep pink.

"I was always a bit embarrassed of him when we went out…" Scorpius shuffled uncomfortably, "you know, we got a lot of mean glares and random people barking insults at us. Dad never stood up for us or made them apologize… he'd always just take the insults and walk on faster. Then at home he'd always go on these long lectures about how the Malfoys don't need any more enemies and blah, blah, blah. Main point: I'm to make friends and not enemies; but if I do make an enemy, I'm to make sure it's a good person."

"Then how come you became an obnoxiously rude bully?" Rose blurted out.

Scorpius grimaced, "the first night of being a Slytherin I tried making friends by being kind to people, needless to say it didn't work. The only way to get attention and 'friends' was to… well, be better than everyone else… so to speak."

"And it didn't work?"

"No, it worked quite well actually, until I saved you. But don't worry, I don't want those dim-wits for friends anyway… I don't want them as enemies either though. So, as long as I can keep on their good side and not get in their way, I'll be fine. I can be myself. I guess the name of Malfoy will have to go on being friendless though… I'm used to it anyway."

"You're not completely friendless!"

"What do you mean?" Scorpius asked while adding a fern frond to the potion.

Rose gave a big smile, "whether you like it or not, I'm your friend!"

"What?" Scorpius almost dropped a bottle of fire-snail saliva in his hand.

Rose rolled her eyes in poured the portion in their cauldron.

"Make a note of this, Scorpius: usually saving someone's life leads to friendly feelings and gratitude."

Scorpius met her eyes and gave a toothy grin of pure delight.

"I have a friend?" Scorpius whispered, almost disbelievingly.

"Yes," Rose replied smiling back at him. "Now look, this appears to be the right color?"

Rose held out the reference color on her textbook to compare with the rusty orange color in the cauldron. Scorpius nodded his head, still smiling.

Putting on a serious face Rose asked catuously "you've heard about Eithine's escape, right?"

Scorpius nodded with his cheeks losing their color. "Spierling has some explaining to do though… Ah! Professor Slughorne! Would this be correct" Scorpius waved his hand over their caldron to indicate their rusty orange potion color.

"Indeed! That appears to be splendid!" Slughorne exclaimed. "5 points to Slytherin and 5 points to Gryffindor! My, it is nice to see the noble houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor working together."

**Thank you for reading! So sorry this chapter took so long to write. Free-time is very precious to me and, unfortunately, I've had very little of it- close to zero. If some interest is shown, I'll try to get another chapter out. Even if nobody reads this, I will finish this story eventually… but eventually might be over a course of the next 20 years or so. Only joking! But really…. I'd love some feedback! What do you want to happen? Who do you want me to focus on in the next chapter? Rose and Scorpius? Albus and Will? The Graybacks? Spierling's story? Please let me know, I have a few ideas swimming around my head and I'm not sure which would be the most interesting for readers.**


	17. The Raven

**Chapter ****XVII**

**The Raven**

Al , Will, and Rose sat together as all the Gryffindors gathered around a large, circular harvest table. Beams of sunlight flooded the room through large, open widows. A woman robed in a long, red cloak perched on a small table in the corner of the room, smiling as each Gryffindor took their seat.

"Good afternoon, class! I'm Professor Scharlach, Hogwart's new art professor," the professor said in a sweet voice as she twirled about the room, her dark red cape flowing as she handed out parchment, quills, and colored ink. "Today we will be exploring the connection between art and magic… and if you enjoy it, you can sign up for my class at the end of the week," she added with a wink.

"First things first! I want everyone to picture an animal in your head. It can be anything: your pet, your favorite creature, an ant… anything!" the professor instructed as she started to sketch a bear on a piece of parchment.

Al watched Will carefully sketch the wings of a small bird. He then turned to see Rose quickly, yet poorly, sketch the outline of a very fat cat with a curly tail. Al then starred at his own blank parchment. "What should I draw?" Al racked his brain and decided on a dog, hoping it was simple enough.

After dipping his quill in black ink, he pressed the point on the paper and drew an oval face, then two curvy eyes, a long nose, a bit of a smile for the mouth, pointy ears, some fur on the face, a few teeth visible out of the smile, two tall and fury legs, and a long, bushy tail.

"What a ferocious wolf!" Professor Scharlach shocked Al from his concentration. Al felt a shiver go down his spine as he gazed at his dog. It did look like wolf.

"My! What an excellent raven!" Scharlach cried as she swooped down upon Will's sketch. Will gave a shy smile. Suddenly she gasped and sprang back. "Did that bird just breath?"

"Most of my sketches do, at the least" Will said softly.

"My dear, you posses a rare gift then. Only a couple known witches and wizards have been known to give art such life without spells! Meet me after class, please." Will nodded his head and Scharlach moved back to her picture at the front.

"Now class, there are different ways of giving life to our paintings. First oft, we will try for some movement. I want everyone to find a part of your animal and focus on how that part would move in your mind."

Al concentrated on the tail and imagined it wagging.

"Everyone ready? Good. Now repeat after me: leva yasamak! Jolly good. Now take your wand and practice the figure on the board. It's quite simple really, just a small circle, a swish, and a flick. Now watch." Scharlach pointed her wand at her bear's head and bellowed "leva yasamak!"

Al watched as the sketched bear's mouth began to move, as if it was snapping air. The class gasped with glee. Al grinned. Rose looked on with indifference. Will's eyes glowed with joy as he gave a toothy smile.

"Now, everyone give it a go!" The professor commanded.

Rose sat up straight pointed her wand at her cat's paw and casted her spell. Nothing happened and she frowned in frustration. Will, on the other hand, whispered the spell gingerly. Al starred in wonder as his friend's raven began to flap it's wings. Even though the bird contained all the ruggedness of a quick sketch, it looked so real, as if the wings were coming out of the paper.

"Al, look!" Will pointed at his bird as the wings took on the third dimension and projected out of the paper.

"Amazing!" Scharlach gasped from across the room. "Simply amazing."

Will smiled, pleased with his work. "Why don't you give it a go, Al?"

Al nodded, pointed his wand his wolf's tail, preformed the wand's movements, and thought of the spell's name in his head. Again, without words, his spell cast, and his wolf's tail wagged merrily. Both the boys grinned. Rose scowled.

"Oh, to Loch Ness with this!" Rose gave up throwing her disheveled red hair in a sign of total frustration.

"Rose, you have to really imagine how you want your cat to move while casting the spell," Will tried to help.

Rose glared, but gave it another go. To her surprise, her cat lifted up it's paw to scratch it's ear. She beamed. After some time, and some help from professor Scharlach, every Gryffindor was able give some movement to their sketch.

"Very good class. Now, I won't expect all of you to accomplish this next spell. It's much harder. But since this will be the only magic and art class some of you will ever take, let's touch on it anyway." Scharlach announced as she pointed her wand at her bear, closed her eyes in deep concentration, and flourished her wand, shouting "wyrazastimme." The bear let out a ferocious growl, shocking the class. All the Gryffindors erupted in applause and the bear continued to growl.

"Now your turn! Only this time think of the noise your animal makes while casting the spell."

Will gave a quite smile at his raven who was struggling to break free his two-dimensional state in the parchment. "Wyrazastimme" Will said barely over his breath. The raven let out a breathtaking screech as it fought the paper. Al watched in total amazement as the raven suddenly fought it's way out of the paper. Will face glowed with happiness as the raven soared out of his parchment, flying around the room and screeching with joy.

"Merlin's beard!" Schalach's jaw dropped.

Will reached out his hand as his raven flew by. It's sketched claws clutched Will's fingers and Will placed his bird on his shoulder as it cawed contently.

"This is… my oh my…. my dear boy, this is simply unheard of… even with magic" the professor whispered in awe of the magic. "We'll talk after class." She shook her head in disbelief and turned to help a student.

Eventually, Will helped Rose get her cat to meow and Al's wolf to howl. The spell was trickier, and it took Al a couple tries, but once again, he managed it without saying a word.

Rose and Al waited in the Gryffindor common room for Will. Other students were comparing their work. Once Will walked in, his raven still perched on his shoulder, all the Gryffindors crowed around him, admiring his bird. Will smiled, shyly thanked everyone for their complements, and asked his raven if he'd like to stay in the common room. The raven took off of Will's shoulder and nestled itself on the beam above the widow. The three friends smiled.

...

Rose plopped a second helping of mashed potatoes onto her plate at dinner that night. Will was immensely popular at the table tonight, but she could barely get a word in the conversation. She smiled as she saw that Will couldn't even get a word in through all the chatter, unless he was asked a question. Alone with her thoughts, she let them wonder to her new friend who sat at the table across the room. She saw Scorpius quietly sip his drink, participating in the Slytherin's conversation only at the appropriate moments: smiling when the Slytherins laughed or nodding his head when they shouted in agreement. She noticed that they were still leaving him out of their "circle," but at least it seemed like they were putting up with him. His gaze wandered over to her's. She quickly turned her face somewhere else, but decided to look back and smile. He smiled at her and went back to sipping his drink. She then moved her gaze to the Graybacks, who sat close to Scorpius. They appeared so oblivious to the happenings of the Slytherin table, even more out of connection than Scorpius. She felt her head ache slightly just remembering what Hansveer and Teddy had told her. What a cold world it must be outside the halls of Hogwarts, where students laughed and smiled with friends in the Great Hall. Rose decided that the Graybacks have been silent for too long. She'd have to think of something to break their ice incase they were planning something foul.

Rose shivered, disliking the idea. She glanced back to Scorpius and sighed. They had the insane ghost to deal with too. She felt so helpless suddenly, remembering the weightless feeling of falling through the air. She'd also have to visit Professor Spierling and have a little chat with him.

"So much to do," Rose thought to herself, disliking each idea.

...

Al listened to the clock tower silently chime 2 O'clock in the morning. So many thoughts poured through his head, keeping any chance of sleep abate. Moonlight flooded the room where his fellow Gryffindor's soundly slept. Even Will's raven was hunched asleep on his trunk. Al got up and opened up a window, letting the cool breeze rustle his untamed hair and push against his skin. He starred up at the night sky, dotted with so many bright stars.

As Al drank in the night scenery, he thought about Teddy slaving away at making his secret potion… and his part in helping Teddy at the end of the week. At dinner, Teddy had slipped a paper into his hand with the words "Friday at 11 o'clock " hastily written on it.

Al took the note out of his pocket and crunched it his hand. The moon was so bright. Al estimated it would probably be full by Friday. At least the night would be bright and lovey he thought, slipping back under the covers of his bed. The raven twitched suddenly, causing Al to let out a small gasp. The raven gazed right into Al's eyes and continued to hold its gaze. Al twitched, uncomfortably. To him, a raven always symbolized evil… or death. The raven's glare seemed hypnotizing and Al eventually closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

...

Al was standing in a forest of deep blue and green trees. The sky appeared violet and the full moon was blood red, sending shards of unearthly gold light through the trees leaves. The trees seemed to swim in a breeze of color. He noticed he was riding something. Glancing down, he saw his hands clenching tight onto long, gray fur. He was riding on the back of something, bulleting through a forest. The creature was panting heavily. Suddenly the landscape turned dead black and the steady pace of whatever he was riding came to a halt.

The horizon rapidly flashed white on and off. The sound of a wolf howling in pain resonated around him. The flashing stopped. Red light painted itself across a windswept mountain. Al was at the edge of a cliff, clinging to the edge. A dark brown wolf's face flashed above him. He looked down in fright, but only to see a sea of wolfs gather around the bottom of the cliff. He let go as the wolf above him howled.

Al woke up sweating, his heart pounding in his chest. He pulled the covers close to his chin, trying to shake the nightmare from his mind. He glanced at the window to see the dawn just breaking. Then the raven caught his eye. Its penetrating glare was still staring straight at him. Al watched as the raven seemed to smile and close its eyes.

...

**Hello everyone. I can't thank you enough for being patient and reading my story. Thank you so much for the reviews. They mean a lot to me. I almost gave up on this story again, but your reviews motivated me to continue. So a big thanks to all of you! Sorry there's not much action in this one. I'm trying to get back into the mode of writing. Hope you enjoyed it though. Please, let me know what you think. I'll try my best to update soon.**

**- The Book Fanatic**


	18. A BIt of Tension

**Chapter XVIII**

**A Bit of Tension**

Al looked down apprehensively at the broomstick that lay in the bright green grass at his feat. He loved the feeling of flying, but didn't have any talent in flying like his older brother, James, or even his mother and father. Even his little sister, Lily, was better at flying. Al closed his eyes, remembering the time when his parents taught his siblings and himself to fly. James and Lily had command of their broom on their first try. After shouting "Up!" for half an hour, his broom had finally strained its way up to his hand. His mum had begun to teach James and Lily how to fly without him. His dad had given him a big smile, ruffled his hair, and showed him how to mount. Al watched as his dad shot up into the blue, cloudless sky. Al mounted his broom and kicked off. Moving as slow as a slug, Al and his broom wobbled four meters above the ground. He watched his siblings zip around the open field. The maximum height their brooms went was 10 meters, but they got the knack of flying right away.

"Come on, Al!" his father chuckled happily. "Lean forward a little bit, it will give you some speed."

Al leaned forward. Bad idea. He blasted past the field in a matter of seconds. Everything was a blur. He didn't know where he was. He felt his skin flop against his face. Suddenly, his body slapped into something cold… and wet. He'd flown past the field, forest, and straight into the pond. At least his broom had stopped. He floated on his back, looking up at the blue sky and enjoying the weightless, non-wobbly, feeling that the water gave him. A minute later his dad plucked him out of the water and onto his own broom.

"Albus Severus! I believe you just set a recorded for fasted flying," his dad laughed.

Al smiled as he hugged his dad's back tight with one hand, his other clinging to his broom.

"Albus! Albus Potter!" Madam Hooch shouted, waking him from his daydream. "Pay attention!"

Startled, Al looked around. Most of the students were already off the ground, moseying around the air with the Ravenclaws. Al watched as the last Ravenclaw took off. Will was already in the air, calling him to join them. He felt a bit of relief seeing that Rose was still on the ground with him.

"Oh, I don't even like flying anyway," Rose remarked tensely.

"With feeling, Miss Weasly!" Madam Hooch commanded.

Rose and Al simultaneously shouted "Up!" but only to watch their brooms wiggle on the ground. Al caught Rose's eye and they smiled. Ten minutes later they were finally able to join their class and Madam Hooch commanded students to follow the course she had set up for them. Al wasn't scared of flying, he just couldn't control his broom. However, he knew that Rose was terrified of heights.

"Let's just take this slow" Al called over to Rose who gripping her broom until her knuckles where white.

"Okay" she replied, her voice shaking.

Al and Rose set off at pace slower than walking, following the obstacle course Madam Hooch had set. First they flew under an archway, over a roof, around a sculpture, and etc. Al and Rose hardly talked. Al had concentrated on keeping his speed at a painstakingly slow pace while Rose flew close to Al incase she fell. Madam Hooch waited impatiently at the end of the course.

"About time!" She cried. "I had to dismiss the class an hour ago."

The two said their apologies and took off to the Great Hall.

"Hurry up Al! There's only 5 minutes left of lunch!" Rose shouted over her shoulder.

She loved food. If Al made her miss it, she'd kill him. The clock struck. Al froze misstep and looked up at the great tower to watch the clock condemned him.

"I'm so sorry, Rose." Al gulped and scrunched his eyes, bracing himself for the fury of his ferocious red headed, food-loving cousin.

"Albus, I can't believe…" Rose began to blow her top until a low moan and a shriek of rage from across the courtyard and saved Al from her scolding.

"What do you think that was?" Al asked.

"Don't know. It seemed almost inhuman."

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed off the cobblestones. Al grabbed Rose's wrist and pulled her behind the column of an archway. For some reason, he didn't feel like being seen.

"Al! Are you eavesdropping?" Rose hissed, her long, red hair twisting in every direction across her face.

"Shhh…"

Rose rolled her eyes, but Al held his breath as he heard the voice of Iontach.

"Clapsholas, you can't be seen here. Get out. Get out now!" Iontach commanded.

"You don't understand. I have to tell you something." The voice of Clapsholas moaned.

"Look. Go to the forest and I'll try to heal you later. We can talk there, okay? But you've got to go. Now. Before you're seen."

"But it's about your father. He's furious…"

"Please. You've got to go." Iontach hissed.

There was a brief pause of submission.

"Okay, when and where can I meet you?"

"Edge of the lake in the Forbidden Forest, midnight?"

"Fine. But every minute is of the essence, my friend."

"Good, now go!"

"Okay, okay!"

"Wait!" Iontach added before the sound of scampering faded. "It's good to see you again, Clapsholas."

"You too."

Al and Rose waited a few minuets until they were completely alone.

"Well?" Al asked, giving Rose that look that says let's-follow-him-tonight-even-though-it's-dangerous-and-we'll-get-in-trouble-for-sure.

"Oh no… No. No. NO! We most certainly are not."

"Suit yourself then. I'm going tonight." Al sprang up and started walking. "We'll then, are you coming to class, or are you just going to sit there?"

…

Rose felt her stomach rumble as she watched the language professor introduce himself as Professor Koldkettle. He was a very tall man, wore a mustard yellow cloak with equally bright mustard-yellow hair which stuck up in tons of curls around his head, causing his pale skin to look as white as milk. His pale gray eyes smiled whenever he smiled, which was at least once every minute.

Rose couldn't concentrate though. The empty feeling from her stomach was so distracting. Rose watched as Professor Koldkettle stepped up on his stool and let out a ferocious roar and a grunt.

"Does anyone have a clue what language that was?"

No one replied, but a few people giggled. The professor let out a laugh too.

"This was simply 'hello' in dragon."

The class stared at him like he was insane. Rose saw Al's face light up.

"Wait. Dragon's have language?" Rose heard Al ask.

"Why certainly! Dragon's are very smart creature, at least most are. The matter is, they can learn to understand certain words of any language, but all dragons are born with this amazing, innate ability to understand other dragons. They're all united under a universal dragon language. It's so remarkable! Granted, there's not much grammar structure, but there definitely is a language, and it's quite descriptive."

"Wicked!" Al gasped.

"Indeed it is. In fact, all languages are. Now, most human-like magical creatures prefer to use a muggle language to unite them. Like us! We witches and wizards, though we all come from different corners of the globe and speak different languages, have chosen English as our universal language."

"So wait, wouldn't other magical creatures use English too?" Rose asked.

"Of course some may know English. But take vampires for example. Their universal language is German."

"But surely there are vampires that don't know German, right?" Rose inquired, scrunching her eyebrows together in a quizzical manner.

"Why certainly! But all people who choose to register themselves as vampires are given the opportunity to learn German. Just like all wizards and witches in non-English speaking countries are given the opportunity to learn English. That doesn't mean they speak English on a daily basis though, or that they'll even need to use it.

But this matter will be discussed further in my other classes, provided you choose to take them. So, today I am going to teach you to say hello in a few of the different languages that magical creatures speak."

Rose watched with mild interest as the professor tried to gain the interest of the students by teaching them to say hello first in mermaid, then troll, dragon, vampire, elf, goblin, centaur, lamassu, werewolf, and a dozen other magical creatures. Rose clutched her empty stomach, it was so difficult to concentrate. But, she learned that most magical creatures took their official language from land in which they originated. But in the case of some, like the trolls, their language was composed of a series of complex grunts and hand motions. Rose glanced over at Al. He was soaking up everything the professor said with an exuberant interest. Rose rolled her eyes, Al's eagerness was over-the-top, and she was still angry at him for keeping her from lunch. She looked over at him again. This time he was looking at her. In fact, the whole class was staring right at her. Rose subconsciously pulled her red hair out from behind her ear and let it hide her blushing face.

"Miss Weasly, would you tell us how werewolves say hello in human form?"

Rose blushed an even deeper color of crimson. Usually she loved when teachers called on her, but today she just couldn't concentrate. Rose racked her brain for something to say. She'd seen Will apologize to professors a dozen times for not knowing the answer.

"I'm sorry, professor" she said ashamed and shook her head no.

She glanced over at Al through her curtain of wild, red waves. He looked like someone had slapped him. She hid her face in her hands. Maybe she wasn't as smart as her mother after all. Rose could imagine the disappointment on her mother's face already.

"No worries" the professor stated, a little shocked. "Would anyone else like to try? Ah yes, Mr. Potter."

"Um… dia duit" Al answered cautiously, starring at Rose all the while.

"Yes, yes. Very good, Mr. Potter! And what's the name of the language the werewolves use?"

"Gaelic" Al replied shyly.

Rose could feel the hatred bubbling inside her by each passing second. Sure, Al had been a gentleman on the brooms and made sure she didn't fall. But it was his fault that they had gone so slow, then made her wait while they eavesdropped on something that was sure to lead to trouble, and thus caused her to miss lunch, leaving her in misery and the inability to concentrate. She glared at him. Al swallowed and nervously ran his hand through his messy, black hair.

He tried to talk to her after class. She ignored him and practically ran ahead of the group of Gryffindors. She was angry, yes, but her urgency was more out of the need to find food. She began to sprint down the halls, jostling students as she went.

"Oi there!" a student grabbed her by the shoulder as she ran into him. "Look what the garden just grew! It's my little flower."

Rose looked right into the grinning face of her cousin, James Potter. She scowled. James was constantly trying to find ways to joke about her and Lily's name, since they where named after flowers.

"What's the hurry? Soil not good enough in this part of the hall?" James asked lightheartedly.

Rose smiled, suddenly relieved. If anyone was up to breaking into the kitchen with her, it was James.

"You hungry?" She asked.

"Why do ask?" James asked, a little surprised.

"How does sneaking into the the kitchen to acquire a snack sound to you?"

James' eyes lit up with that excited, mischievous grin that she so often saw.

"You mean, you want to steal food from the kitchen?" He asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"I wasn't going to say steal… but essentially, yes."

James just smiled, sizing her up from head to toe.

"Please, James! I'm starving!" Her stomach growled on cue.

James let out a laugh. "I'd be honored to introduce you into a life of crime, my fair cousin!"

James gave her an elaborate bow while flourishing his hands in a courtly manner. Then he jumped up, grabbed her hand in his, and made off to the kitchen, not even giving her a chance to think about what she had gotten into.

...

**Just want to say thank you to all my readers for motivating me to write more! Please let me know what you think. Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.**


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